


Perception

by KryliaDarr



Category: Chronicles of Elantra - Michelle Sagara
Genre: Basically everyone shows up - Freeform, F/M, Set after CiFlight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2020-05-31 16:55:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 47,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19430176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KryliaDarr/pseuds/KryliaDarr
Summary: (Kaylin has to attend a ball and the Hawklord is injured.)Set after CiFlight. Part Nightlin, part adventure. WiP. Cross-posted on ff.net. (Probably doesn’t deserve an E rating, but I figured I’d play it safe.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> I’m not the best for steady dedication to a story, so don’t expect regular updates, but I haven’t given up on this one. It’s hard to publish without support and I am not getting much on ff.net, so I’m hoping the AO3 audience is more supportive.
> 
> Thanks & hope you enjoy!

"You want me to attend a _ball?_ " Kaylin yelped. "At the _palace?_ In a _week?_ " There were so many problems with what the Arkon had just said, Kaylin didn't even know where to begin. Which he must have realized since he looked very uncomfortable sitting in her parlour. As he bloody well should. If Kaylin didn't know it was impossible, she would have thought had gone mad in his old age.

"It has been decided that attending a ball at the palace will be a way to judge how you conduct yourself among influential people before being formally introduced to the Emperor." The only mercy was that it was the Arkon imparting the information. Not, say, Diarmat at his most uptight.

"Since when," Bellusdeo cut in cooly, "have dragons held balls?" She wrinkled her nose in clear distaste; this was obviously a Barrani activity. The Arkon would have sighed if Kaylin had asked the question. As it was Bellusdeo, he turned gold eyes on her and answered her barely veiled criticism.

"Dancing is a way to socialize without restricting yourself to a single conversation partner," the Arkon explained - to Bellusdeo. "At a formal dinner, your conversation partners are determined by the seating arrangements and the number of guests. A ball allows greater flexibility in social interactions, and limits their duration." Kaylin would have bet money - her own - that the Arkon had never danced, even if he had felt obliged to attend a ball at some point in his long life.

"I can't dance," Kaylin told him. Because that seemed like something he should know.

"Neither can I," Bellusdeo volunteered. Given her opinion of dancing, that was hardly a surprise.

"The mortals you ruled did not dance?" The Arkon appeared genuinely surprised by the news.

"No," Bellusdeo replied evenly, "they were too occupied protecting their world from Shadow for such a pastime."

"Forgive me," the Arkon said, bowing slightly. "We have arranged a suitable teacher for you," he assured her. Kaylin always struggled with being openly ignored, but tried to hold it in. What the Emperor had told her over dinner about becoming tools or enemies of the powerful had encouraged her to hold her tongue. Or to try, which she felt should count for something.

"Who?" Bellusdeo asked, not appearing any more sold on the idea than Kaylin.

"Lord Emmerian. He is, I believe, waiting for you at the palace." Bellusdeo considered the matter in silence before nodding. 

"I suppose he and I can survive each other for a while. He lacks the stuffiness other members of our race have embraced."

"Like me?" The Arkon asked, raising a brow. Bellusdeo laughed openly.

"You have always been stuffy, Lannagaros." The words, from Bellusdeo, did not seem to cause offence; the Arkon's eyes remained gold. Kaylin felt a small pang and wondered if she were powerful if she would be able to get away with saying things like that. She felt, given her incurable status as a human, that the answer was probably _no_. "What of Kaylin?"

"I believe there is a Barrani presently in her home who could be motivated to teach her to dance." 

"There are currently two Barrani staying here," Kaylin commented, "and I think Nightshade is visiting his brother at the moment." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew who the Arkon expected her to asked. "You want me to ask Nightshade," she said morosely. Well, the thought of asking Mandoran to teach her was a little appalling. As far as she knew, he was stuck in a wall again. _And_ under house arrest.

"Dancing is, as Bellusdeo has made clear, a primarily Barrani pastime. As long as you continue interacting with the Barrani High Court, you will be at some point required to attend one of their balls." Kaylin froze. Dancing in the middle of the Barrani High Court was the stuff of nightmares. 

"Surely, Kaylin and I could take our lessons together?" Bellusdeo intervened. Kaylin felt a rush of gratitude towards to gold dragon. 

"Your status, and therefore the expectations attending you, are dramatically different from the private's." The Arkon rebutted. Bellusdeo stiffened, and raised her inner eyelids to mute the orange of her eyes.

"My status," Bellusdeo repeated firmly, "should be non-existent."

"The dance is being held in your honour," the Arkon explained, looking like he would like to be anywhere else. Kaylin didn't blame him; Bellusdeo's eyes had shaded to a dark orange. 

"This was the Emperor's idea, wasn't it?" The Arkon's silence was a loud yes. To Kaylin's great surprise, Bellusdeo let the matter drop. Or at least shifted it. "Kaylin is Chosen. She should honoured, as well."

"As you say," the Arkon agreed; Kaylin felt it was the concession of a man who simply wasn't interested in reopening a longstanding debate. "It is, however, Kaylin who would be the most bothered were the significance of her marks to become publicly known." Kaylin grimaced. Having recently seen the complete change in the way the Aerian Hawks treated Moran, Kaylin knew the Arkon was right. She had _no idea_ how Moran could handle it.

"What about Severn?" She asked. Because if she was stuck learning how to dance, he should be, too.

"You Corporal will not be attending," was the completely unexpected response.

"What?" Kaylin gaped at the Arkon.

"He has other matters to attend to. You will see that he has been removed from the duty roster for the foreseeable future." Which meant Wolf business. Kaylin felt her stomach drop.

"The duty roster isn't here," Kaylin pointed out. It couldn't be since they were sitting in one of the parlours Helen insisted were for 'informal social interactions'. Whatever that meant.

"Ah, no, but that is what it will say if you make the effort to check." Like she was going to go all the way to the Halls of Law on a rare day off to check Severn's schedule. So far, except for the Arkon's unexpected visit, she hadn't had a single disaster. It was - had been - amazing.

"So you honestly want me to ask _Nightshade_ to teach me how to dance?"

"Given the mark he has placed upon you, I do not believe he will be unwilling." Was the measured reply. Kaylin flushed and after a moment, the Arkon filled the silence. "I assure you, despite Bellusdeo's obvious concerns, that our balls, which are largely attended by mortals, are far less formal than the balls of the Barrani High Court." _Anything_ would be far less formal than the Barrani High Court. Kaylin sighed in defeat.

"I'll ask."

"I'd best be going, too," Bellusdeo said, rising gracefully to her feet, "if Lord Emmerian is waiting. Will you be my escort?" Normally, Bellusdeo would have argued about needing an escort, but if it was the Arkon, well, that was obviously different. Kaylin snorted, earning herself a very flat look from Bellusdeo.

"I would like to return to my hoard," the Arkon acknowledged, because short of potentially world ending catastrophes, he made an effort not to leave. Kaylin wondered idly how he had ended up the messenger. It was possible they figured Bellusdeo would cause the least amount of fuss if he was the one who brought the idea to her. If so, Kaylin agreed.

"He's in the large parlour with his brother, dear," Helen said as Kaylin left the room. Kaylin had no idea why she needed multiple parlours - she hadn't had _one_ , before - but Helen insisted they were necessary, and Kaylin didn't push. It was Helen's decision, after all.

"...Are they talking?" Because you could usually hear them when they did. No matter what Bellusdeo thought, they did sound like dragons, even if officially they had reached a compromise. Kaylin felt the Barrani definition of compromise needed refinement.

"Not at present, no." Kaylin sighed.

"What happened? I thought they had worked things out."

"I believe it would be best for you to hear things from them," Helen informed her, sounding almost unsure. Kaylin glanced at the Avatar in surprise, but before she could press the issue, Helen opened the door, and Kaylin was faced with two pairs of midnight blue eyes. Great.

"What's going on?" Kaylin asked, glancing between them. She figured as long as Nightshade wasn't in her mind, he wouldn't know that she was stalling.

"That's what I'd like to know," he replied cooly. _So much for that_ , Kaylin thought.

"I need to learn to dance, and the Arkon thinks you're my best bet as a teacher." The words that fell out her mouth did nothing to ease the tension in the room.

" _Why_ do you need to learn to dance, Kaylin?" Nightshade inquired pointedly, gliding towards her.

"There's a ball being held in Bellusdeo's honour at the palace, and they want me to come." Annarion moved as well, stepping between them. Nightshade shifted so he could continue to hold Kaylin's eyes without acknowledging the obstacle his brother had become.

"Meaning your attendance is mandatory, and you need to avoid embarrassing yourself by dancing poorly." Kaylin clenched her teeth. Nobody wanted to be told that they were a social disaster, even if it was true.

"...Yes."

"I can teach you how to dance, Lord Kaylin," Annarion offered, joining the conversation for the first time. Nightshade froze at the words. Kaylin felt that if his eyes could have gotten any darker, they would have.

 _You know I won't hurt your brother, right?_ Kaylin asked, surprised to find that Helen allowed them to speak this way. As far as she could tell, Helen's decisions in this regard were totally random. _He's important to Teela,_ Kaylin continued. And she liked him, but she didn't want to get into that. Nightshade felt it regardless. He always did, when they spoke like this.

 _I know that you would not deliberately hurt him, yes,_ Nightshade agreed, which wasn't quite the same thing.

"There is no need," he assured his brother coldly, "I have no reason to refuse Lord Kaylin's request." 

"You are no doubt a busy man," Annarion rebutted before Kaylin could speak, "and I'm certain there are many responsibilities which have a greater claim on your time than instructing Lord Kaylin in dance." Considering the bulk of their heated arguments had been about Nightshade's duty - or more specifically, his willingness to abandon it to find his brother - Kaylin flinched at the words.

"Spending time with my _Erenne_ takes precedence over any trivialities which might otherwise occupy my time." And since Annarion was pissed that Nightshade had marked her as _Erenne_ , this reply was guaranteed to stir things up. Predictably, Annarion stiffened.

"If you do not take steps to fulfill your side of our agreement, Lord Nightshade, I have very little motivation to fulfill mine," he pointed out.

"What's the agreement?" Kaylin interrupted, profoundly curious. She had been trying to keep the question to herself, but if it involved her, well, that was different. The brothers both fell silent.

"That is not relevant here," Nightshade replied. Kaylin had to physically bite her tongue not to argue the point. Annarion had _just said_ that it was. "And I will not go back on my word to you, Annarion." Annarion looked torn, clearly wanting to believe his brother, but uncertain if he could.

"Nightshade won't break a promise he made to you," Kaylin assured him. He looked at her in surprise.

"You trust him?" Annarion, on the other hand, seemed profoundly doubtful.

"I trust him when it comes to you," Kaylin replied, because she wasn't stupid, after all. Annarion glanced between them, then, making a decision, bowed and left them alone in the room. Kaylin was certain her eyebrows had climbed into her hair; since when was Annarion willing to leave them alone? Before she could ask, Nightshade filled the silence Annarion had left.

"The lessons will be held at my Castle," he told her, ignoring her grimace, "and you will wear appropriate clothing."

"You want me to wear a _dress?_ Into the _fiefs?_ " If there was a better way to paint a target on your back, Kaylin didn't know it. Except maybe wearing jewelry, which anyone on the wrong side of the river would spot.

"I'll ensure you are escorted from the bridge." Kaylin cringed. If anyone found out she'd been escorted, she would never live it down.

"We can't just skip the dress?" Kaylin wasn't very hopeful; Nightshade could be impossibly stuffy about these things.

"No. Clothing impacts both the way you move and the way you behave." It did, and that was what she hated about it. No matter what the situation was, wearing formal clothing always made her feel like a fraud; she could never get used to it. Fancy clothes were for other people - usually ones she didn't like. "You could wear your own clothes to the Castle and then change into a dress there," Nightshade offered. Kaylin considered this, knowing it was as much of a compromise as she was likely to get from the fieflord. It had always unnerved her that Nightshade had produced clothing for her, but Barrani clothing tended to be practical, which was more than could be said of human formal wear. And the white dress she did own didn't have sleeves.

"I'll change there," Kaylin yielded.

"I believe you are off today?" Nightshade confirmed, barely waiting for her nod before continuing. "We should begin shortly then. I am content to have you stay the night," Kaylin flushed at the implication, "but believe that you would like to return before dark." Kaylin nodded jerkily. "I will go make the preparations," count on Nightshade to have preparations to make for dance classes, "and see you shortly."


	2. Chapter 2

It was the desperation that broke through Kaylin's brooding as she walked through the fief. So little had changed in the years since she had left, but if the feel of the fief was the same, the people were different; she recognized no one by name. She wondered how many of those she had known passingly were still alive.

"It'll be ok," a man insisted, kneeling by the side of a woman, heavily pregnant and covered in blood. "You and the baby are going to be fine." The woman let out a groan, but didn't otherwise respond. From where she was standing, Kaylin could see the woman's eyes were glazed. It was bad.

"Get up, Mom," the boy pleaded, sounding painfully uncertain. People continued to pass, no one stopping to help the family. Well, what could they do? Death was common in the fief, and no one had much to spare.

"What happened?" Kaylin asked, veering off course to kneel beside the man. His agony was clearly etched in his face. He looked, to Kaylin's eyes, over thirty, but the fiefs aged people, and she knew he could be as much as a decade younger.

"Something spooked the horse some uptowner was riding," the boy replied bitterly, when it was clear his father wouldn't. "Mama couldn't move fast enough to get out of the way, and-" his voice faltered. Kaylin nodded. She realized that the boy was most likely small for his age, but hunger did that. She reached out and touched the woman. Trauma triggering labour was not uncommon, but given the woman's injuries, both she and the baby were at serious risk.

"What are you doing?" Even now, when the man was about to loose so much, suspicion remained.

"I'm a healer," Kaylin replied evenly. "I can save your wife and the baby." Man and son gawked at her, too familiar with the world to accept what she was offering.

"We can't afford a healer," the man said bluntly. The words carried, and out of the corner of her eye Kaylin saw people stop and stare. The boy looked at Kaylin like she'd sprouted another head.

"Look, I'm not asking for payment," Kaylin snapped. She was wasting time, and she needed to start _now_. "Nobody pays me to heal." She focused on the woman. It was going to be close. "I'll need some water, the cleanest you can find," she added distractedly. She hesitated. "You make sure no one stabs me," Kaylin told her familiar, who opened one eye to peer at her before settling back down to sleep. There was a stir behind her, and she glanced over, surprised to see Andellen along with three other Barrani guards approaching at a run. The street cleared quickly as people scattered to the edges of the road to let them through. The man and boy looked alarmed, but didn't leave the woman's side as the Barrani stopped in front of Kaylin, their hair settling gracefully down their backs.

"Lord Kaylin," Andellen greeted in High Barrani, offering her a perfect bow. The three Barrani with him echoed the movement. People slowed, careful to avoid the fieflord's guards. Some of them watched from the sidelines, dangerously curious. Kaylin didn't blame them; she would have done the same, once.

"Lord Andellen." Kaylin nodded, but couldn't return the bow without letting go of the woman; she settled for speaking High Barrani. "I need to focus on this."

"Of course," Andellen agreed, having been present when Kaylin healed in the past. "Our lord sent us in haste to guard you while you attend to the healing you have chosen to undertake." Kaylin felt the tension ease from her shoulders. She rolled up her sleeve and removed the bracer she almost always forgot she wore. It was the sort of jewelry that could get her killed in the fief if she wasn't careful, and she was thankful for the protection. Her familiar was great for detecting and seeing through magic, but she was less certain that he would respond to a mundane threat, especially if only Kaylin's bracer was targeted. There was no point in worrying about someone stealing the bracer since it would return to Severn, but she didn't want to be killed over it. After everything she had been through, it would be such a stupid way to die.

_You're welcome_ , Nightshade replied. 

"They're here to protect me while I work," Kaylin told the family in Elantran, ignoring the fieflord. "They won't hurt you if you leave them alone." 

"You know Lord Nightshade?" The boy asked fearfully. It seemed like a lifetime ago that Kaylin had been bound by the same fear; she was surprised to realize it had been barely a year. Kaylin wanted to say that Nightshade wasn't who they thought he was, but held her tongue. He was, to them. 

"Yes," Kaylin admitted, "but there's no catch. Who I heal is my choice."

"Lord Kaylin," Andellen said, speaking in rare Elantran, "is a healer of note. You are honoured by her presence." He looked down on the family in blue-eyed irritation; whether on her behalf, or on Nightshade's didn't really matter. Kalyin sighed. 

"I don't want you to kill anyone," Kaylin told Andellen. He met her eyes. 

"As long as no one approaches you foolishly or tries to harm you, we will not injure anyone, Lord Kaylin." Andellen conceded in Elantran. Kaylin nodded, knowing that was as much as she would be able to get out of him, since his orders came from Nightshade. Both man and child had paled dangerously, but Kaylin didn't have time for them. She forced herself to trust their sense of survival and not piss off the Barrani; she needed to focus on the woman who was only barely holding on to life. 

Kaylin didn't know how long it was before she pulled away, her back aching from the strain. Her knees were covered in dirt: her hands, in blood. "Congratulations," she croaked. "It's a girl."

The woman clutched her newborn and stared at her with something close to awe. Kaylin shifted uncomfortably; she knew she didn't deserve the look the woman was giving her. The man gathered his wife and daughter in his arms weeping; it was the boy who met Kaylin's eyes.

"Who _are_ you?" He asked. Kaylin hesitated. She wasn't supposed to heal without Imperial permission, but surely the Emperor wouldn't care about the fiefs.

"Private Kaylin Neya," she answered, "in service to Lord Grammayre, Lord of the Hawks." 

To Kaylin's astonishment, Andellen knelt beside her. "You must drink," he urged, offering her a cup of water. It was pristine; he must have sent someone to the Castle for it. Kaylin tried not to let her discomfort show; it bothered her to see Andellen, a Lord of the High Court, acting like a servant around her. She forced herself to nod, gratefully accepting the cup and gulping down the contents.

"Lord Andellen." Lord Nightshade's voice carried, and what little noise had been present on the street halted as the fieflord walked forward, focused on his guard. Andellen rose gracefully to his feet and offer his lord a deep bow. Kaylin held onto the cup. "Thank you for guarding my _Erenne_ ," he said in High Barrani. 

"The honour was mine, Lord," Andellen replied. Kaylin grimaced. They were ignoring the human again. In order to prove her wrong, Nightshade turned, acknowledging her for the first time, and raised a brow. His eyes were a blend of blue and green, which was as safe as she usually got with him. "You're late." Kaylin was too tired to school her expression; she gaped at him.

"I can't be late!" She protested, genuinely outraged. "We never set a time!"

"I believe," he told her in High Barrani, "that you intended to return home before nightfall. This seems unlikely, now." Given the length of the shadows, this was true. Kaylin sighed, and opened her mouth. "I do not believe you have so much free time that you can afford to reschedule," he added, and Kaylin snapped her jaws shut. He was right, damn him. She had lessons with Diarmat and another 'informal' dinner with the Emperor before the ball. Given her current house guests, the odds of her having a quiet week were almost non-existent. She still wasn't comfortable staying at the fieflord's, but what could she do? The Emperor would _eat_ her if she embarrassed Bellusdeo at the ball.

"Thank you for coming to pick me up." The words were difficult to force out, and the hint of green deepened in Nightshade's eyes at her reluctance.

"That was not the only reason I came," he admitted, before sliding into Elantran. "There will be changes in the fief," he announced, his voice carrying in the near silence. People honed in on his words, Kaylin, perhaps, more caught than anyone else, even though she had left the fiefs years ago. She stiffened, and forced her exhaustion back. Where was he going with this? "Laws will be written and enforced," he continued, "and the streets will be patrolled at night." Kaylin's eyes were wide, and she clung onto Nightshade's words, as desperately as she had clung onto the woman only minutes earlier. "Once the laws have been worked out, they will be announced and enforced by my guards."

"Why don't you just copy the Imperial Laws?" Kaylin asked, only realizing how stupid the question was after the words had fallen out of her mouth. Nightshade's eyes darkened.

"I am not," he told her frostily, "copying Dragon laws."

"How long?" She asked, wanting to change the subject, but her hope nearly strangled the words. Blue eyes met hers.

"Until my brother takes the Test of Name," Nightshade told her in High Barrani, and her heart stuttered. Annarion wanted to take the Test of Name, but she couldn't imagine him passing it. Neither could Nightshade, and he had apparently said as much.

"That's probably not long."

"It is," the fieflord replied, "entirely his choice."

"This is your compromise," Kaylin realized. Nightshade frowned at her, never one for thinking out loud - or stating the obvious. Kaylin felt the compromise was in Nightshade's favour, but it would be, wouldn't it? Nightshade had spent centuries at Court, mastering the subtle art of manipulation. Annarion, on the other hand, had spent centuries stuck in a Hallionne with friends who held his name. No contest who had more practice manipulating people.

"He has agreed," Nightshade assured her, "to wait at least a decade." The words were a balm to Kaylin and she threw herself at Nightshade. His arms wrapped around her and she buried her face in his robe, clinging to him. She hated crying, but _so much_ could change in a decade. A decade was a chance, more than she had every really believed the fieflings of Nightshade would get. 

_Thank you._

_I did not do this for you._

_I know_ , Kaylin agreed, _but you did it anyway and that's all that really matters_. Nightshade tightened his grip on her.

_Which laws are most important to you?_ Kaylin craned her head up to meet his eyes, surprised by the question. He waited in silence.

_No slavery_ , she said, _and the brothels... don't let children work there._ She thought of Tara and how so much had changed in the fief of Tiamaris, but she didn't want to push the fieflord. She hesitated. _Your people need food._

_I am aware, Kaylin. I will adopt those two laws_ , Nightshade assured her, _for you_. Kaylin's eyes widened, but before she could speak - if she could find the words - Nightshade cupped her face and brushed a kiss across her forehead.

"Come," he said out loud. "We have very little time, and I have no doubt that you will be a challenging student, even in this." Kaylin grimaced, but took the arm he offered and turned away from the woman and child she had just saved. The gesture, which belonged in a court, felt foreign on the streets of the fief, but Kaylin tried to choose her fights with Nightshade. And to be honest, after his announcement, she didn't feel like arguing with him. The guards fell into step around them; surrounded by Barrani, they quickly made it to the Castle.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m trying to get all the italics in here, but since I wrote it for ff.net, I’m having to add it now. If you see anything that I missed something, please let me know! Thanks!

To Kaylin's profound shock, the Castle had changed. There were two doors instead of the portcullis that had guarded them for as long as she had been alive.

 _It has been present for far, far longer_ , Nightshade told her.

 _As long as you've been Lord?_ Kaylin asked, not taking her eyes from the sight before her.

 _It was present when I took the Castle._ Kaylin glanced at him in surprise, aware that everything showed on her face.

 _You left them?_ She would have thought the fieflord would want to stamp his mark on the Castle. He had, after all, literally left his mark on her. She felt his amusement at the comparison.

_You think you are the same as my Castle?_

_No_ , Kaylin denied. A single mortal could, in no way, compare in value to one of the Towers built to stand against the Shadows in the eyes of any Barrani. _It's just... Barrani are big on possession._

 _As you are aware, I have made alterations inside_ , Nightshade conceded. The _where it matters_ was left unsaid. Kaylin wondered who he had wanted to see the mark he had placed on her. _Everyone_ , was the haughty reply. 

_Great_ , Kaylin thought. Nightshade chuckled in the privacy of their bond. _The people of the fief matter, too_ , she told him resolutely, her eyes glued to the doors. They were only doors, really, but they were impressive, but not oppressive; they were not designed to threaten any who approached, only to impress. In some ways, they changed so much.

 _For many there is little difference_ , Nightshade informed her, answering the thoughts she didn't voice.

 _There's a difference_ , Kaylin maintained. 

_Is there?_ When Kaylin didn't move, he added more words. _You must still go through the portal_ , Nightshade told her. _I am not Tara; I will not compromise my Castle's safety for your convenience._

 _I know_ , Kaylin replied, but didn't take a step.

 _I can carry you through_ , he offered, and even without looking, Kaylin knew his eyes were green.

 _No, thanks_ , she replied flatly.

"Don't cause trouble," she warned her familiar, who cracked open an eye and yawned at her. Taking that as agreement, Kaylin took a breath and stepped in, not letting go of the fieflord's arm; she landed on her feet, which was a small miracle. She was certain the transition would never be pleasant, but held onto the contents of her lunch - now long forgotten - and counted it as a win.

"I had food prepared." _Of course you did_. Kaylin didn't say it, but he heard it anyway. Raising a brow, he met her eyes. "You do not intend to return this evening regardless. There is no reason for you not to dine with me." Kaylin grimaced, but yielded. She was starving and wouldn't manage much without eating first anyway.

"Thank you." He led her to the room they usually ate in. Strange, that she hadn't been over in months, and the Castle had nearly been lost, but the room was the same. Food was waiting on the table, and Kaylin took her usual seat.

"It is how I want it." Kaylin wondered idly if everything Nightshade's life felt compelled to arrange itself to his convenience. _Hardly_ , he answered wryly. Kaylin caught the edge of his thought about Annarion and had to agree; it made her smile around the mouthful of food. Nightshade ate beside her while she scarfed down the meal. Kaylin was too tired for conversation, and the fieflord chose to accept the silence. The fact that she couldn't, even now, ignore his presence bothered her; it amused him.

"You will need to get changed," Nightshade reminded her as she leaned back. Kaylin spat out an Aerian curse; she'd hoped he had forgotten. He chuckled. "I was going to let you choose the dress," he began ominously, "but if you prefer, I can make the selection."

"No," Kaylin refused instantly. At his raised brow, she tried again. "No, thank you." Kaylin had accepted the hand he offered before realizing it. If he hadn't been holding onto her, she would have tripped in her surprise.

"Did you do something?" She asked suspiciously, raising a hand to her marked cheek. It wasn't warm.

"No," Nightshade replied, in a voice that implied he was above such petty actions. When Kaylin continued to stare at him, he sighed. "You have been learning etiquette and have been in an increasing number of situations where it matters. You simply responded to the social cue as you have been taught."

Kaylin mulled that over as they headed for what Nightshade insisted were her rooms. She considered the fact that she had not choked on her food when the Emperor visited a personal triumph; it was more than Severn or the Hawklord could say. Was she becoming more socially adept? She didn't understand why people got so hung up on which fork to use, or how to address people, but she didn't need to make her life any more complicated than it was; if learning the damn rules let her live more quietly, that was something.

 _I don't believe you are capable of living quietly_ , Nightshade told her as he opened the door.

 _I live quietly now!_ Kaylin objected, turning to face him.

 _The very sad thing about this conversation_ , Nightshade replied, _is that you honestly believe that._

 _I'm a Hawk_ , Kaylin explained. _A private, at that_.

"Which dress do you like?" Nightshade asked, derailing the conversation. _I don't like dresses_ was on the tip of Kaylin's tongue, but she bit the words back. She walked over and opened the wardrobe.

"Is there something wrong with black?" Kaylin questioned, staring at the selection in front of her. "Or brown?"

"The purpose of clothes is to present yourself well," Nightshade commented. "The drab colours you favour do not flatter you."

"So you got me pink dresses?" Kaylin made a silent vow to _never_ wear that in public.

"I got you _one_ pink dress," Nightshade corrected, coming to stand directly behind her. Kaylin could feel the warmth of his body and was careful not to move. She was tired enough that she wasn't sure if she wanted to move towards his warmth or away from it. It always surprised her how warm he was; he looked like he had been carved from ice. "The majority are blues and greens which will complement your colouring." He reached around her and ran a finger along one of the dresses. "I would suggest this one." Kaylin felt the immediate impulse to refuse the dress and squelched it. She pulled it out and forced herself to examine it objectively. It was an emerald green that remind her of Barrani at their happiest; she had seldom had occasion to see the colour. It lacked sleeves, which she had expected, most of them did, but was simple and looked like something she might be able to walk in.

"Alright," Kaylin agreed. When the fieflord stayed where he was, Kaylin added, "you need to leave." Kaylin felt his smile, but he did, in fact, leave.

Left alone to dress, Kaylin stripped out of her usual clothes and put on the dress. Her familiar protested when he was disturbed, but had been surprisingly sanguine about her visit to the fief of Nightshade; a little complaining just added some normal to her day. Kaylin took a minute to examine herself in the mirror. Did she look like someone who could attend an Imperial ball? When had the fears that bound the fieflings become separated from her own? Why hadn't she argued with the Arkon when he suggested Nightshade teacher her to dance? _Because I don't want to get eaten_ was the answer her mind readily supplied, and holding onto that, she was able to steel herself and open the door.

"You look lovely," he told her, once again offering his arm.

"Thank you," she replied, accepting it. "What sort of preparations did you need to make for a dance class?"

"I believe music is required, for dance," the fieflord answered.

"...are there going to be people playing music?" Kaylin asked, because the only thing worse than learning to dance was learning to dance with a judgemental Barrani audience.

"No," Nightshade replied, sounding amused. "I have chosen to use a memory crystal to contain their song." Kaylin spluttered.

"You used a memory crystal for _that?_ " For the first time since Nightshade had collected her in the fief, she felt genuine irritation grip her. As a Hawk, she would love to have access to a memory crystal for some of her cases, but their rarity made that nearly impossible.

"Indeed," Nightshade agreed, blithely ignoring her frustration. He led her to a set of door which looked like his throne room.

"Are they..." Kaylin couldn't continue. It hadn't occurred to her - until now - to wonder what had become of the people frozen in time with all the disruptions. The last time she had visited, many of them had been awake.

"There were deaths, Kaylin," Nightshade acknowledged, "when I had to reclaim the Castle." Kaylin hesitated. Once, she would have instantly accused Nightshade of causing their deaths, but he had made the effort to preserve those people and almost certainly hadn't wanted to loose them. It wasn't the same as valuing them as people, but if they were so enamoured with the fieflord that they gave up their world, there was probably something faulty with their brain anyway. Nightshade chuckled, but there was blue in his eyes now. "It is wrong of me not to value them as people, but it is also wrong for them to value me?"

"It's their choice to make," Kaylin answered, "but I could never give up the world for one person."

"You gave up the world for two," Nightshade countered, almost gently. Kaylin opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but Steffi and Jade's names floated through her mind, and her jaws snapped shut. It had been a while since she had last thought of them, and it felt _awful_. She had thought that she would grieve them forever, and when she thought of them, there was still pain. She thought there would always be pain. But there was acceptance, too, and she hadn't expected that. She wanted to say that she had been a child when she made Severn, Steffi, and Jade her world. It had the advantage of being true. But it was also easier, because she didn't have as much to protect. Her world was large, now: a gift from the Hawklord.

"I shouldn't have judged them," Kaylin admitted, ashamed. What did she know of love? 

"When you met Lord Grammayre, he chose to accept you and offer you a place with his Hawks. They now define your world." Kaylin nodded, the thought of the Hawks a balm for darker memories. "As interesting as it would be to speculate on what you would have done had I found you immediately after you lost everything, you need to learn to dance and have en extremely limited amount of time to accomplish this." Kaylin was happy to set that discussion aside for her never pile. Nightshade opened the door for her, and Kaylin forced herself not to count; a casual glance told her that roughly half the statues were gone.

"So what do I do?" She asked, forcing herself to concentrate on something else. There was nothing to be done for the dead.

Kaylin wasn't sure how many times she had managed to kick Nightshade in the shin, step on his toes, or otherwise mess up, but he eventually halted the music.

"What," Nightshade asked, staring at her in blue-eyed irritation, "do you believe a ball is?"

"A pile of people who think they're important standing around telling other people how important they are," Kaylin paused to consider her answer, "and wearing ridiculously expensive clothes."

"What," Nightshade said, sounding like his patience was being tested to its' absolute limits, "do you believe a _dance_ is?"

"Um," Kaylin hesitated, "people moving around to music wearing fancy clothes?" She suspected this answer would not meet the fieflord's approval, but it was the best she had.

"A dance," he told her sternly, "is a seduction." Kaylin flushed at the words, and flecks of green appeared in his eyes. Predictably, he was amused by her embarrassment.

"I can't seduce anyone," Kaylin denied, trying to hide her panic. Given their bond, she held very little hope for success.

"It would be unfortunate if you were to successfully seduce someone, Kaylin." At her puzzled look, he added, "I would prefer not to go to war at this time."

"You... That's... You can't be serious!" Kaylin protested. 

"I am, Kaylin." He reached out and brushed his thumb across her cheek. She blushed, but didn't move. It felt like so long since he had last touched her. Kaylin wondered why that mattered. "I assure you, I am entirely serious; you are _Erenne_ to me."

"What does that even mean?" When he simply continued strokes her cheek, she switched tacts. "Now that you have your brother back, you don't need me, right?" At that he raised a brow.

"You know better than that," he chided. "I thought you believed that a Barrani who is breathing is plotting." Kaylin flushed, wondering when he had picked that out of her thoughts. It was Teela's fault; she was the one always warning Kaylin not to trust any Barrani.

"So what am I supposed to do?" She questioned, trying to force the conversation away from more dangerous subjects.

"You know how to use your body - how to move it - when you are fighting," the fieflord explained. "You must now learn how to use it to draw people to you." Kaylin blushed. She had had a lot of awkward conversations in her life, but she thought it possible that this was the most awkward one.

"I don't know how to do that." Kaylin tried not to sound like she was sulking. He knew, damn him, that she had never taken a lover. How would she know how to seduce someone?

"That's what I'm here for," he told her, his eyes a solid green.


	4. Chapter 4

Nightshade woke her.

Kaylin was used to being woken. She had spent the majority of the last severn years being woken by Marcus' angry growls, and the last couple weeks being woken by Helen. Nightshade was neither Marcus nor Helen. As light - from an unidentifiable source - began seeping into the room, he sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair off her face.

"I suggest you get up now," he told her. Kaylin cracked an eye open. He looked, as always, perfect, but his eyes were blue. She was certain they had slept the same number of hours - she had, possibly, slept more, and muttered a Leontine phrase that captured her feelings on the subject. Nightshade merely raised a brow. "I cannot imagine the Arkon would be pleased to hear you say that."

"The Arkon," Kaylin repeated, her brain not yet working.

"He would like to speak with you."

"And you didn't _tell me?_ " Kaylin asked, throwing the covers off and forcing the fieflord to move. Her familiar squawked as the blanket landed on top of him; Kaylin ignored him. She usually slept naked, but that wasn't in the cards here, so she was wearing the same green dress she had been wearing for their dance class.

"I just did," Nightshade replied mildly. Kaylin turned to him, ready to follow him, but he simply took a few steps and faced the mirror in the corner. Kaylin came to stand beside him, and felt him shift to place his hands on her shoulders. Then the Arkon came into focus, and Kaylin froze. His eyes were _red_. Even at the remove of distance, Kaylin felt the visceral impulse to _never_ be the reason his eyes were that colour.

"Thank you for getting her, Calarnenne," the Arkon said, as though he wasn't about to rampage. Kaylin held herself still, instinctively trying to avoid his notice.

"Not at all, Arkon," Nightshade replied easily.

"Private Neya," the Arkon began, meeting her eyes, "we have received word that the Baranni High Court will invite Bellusdeo as a guest, to thank her for her help in the recent conflict with the Ancients."

"That's a terrible idea," fell out of Kaylin's mouth before she could catch it. The red in the Arkon's eyes lightened, but he didn't otherwise acknowledge her comment. Her familiar flew over, but instead of biting the fieflord, which she was honestly kind of expecting, he landed on her head.

"We will therefore require that you and Corporal Handred escort her." The familiar squawked, and the Arkon shifted his focus to the small creature. "We would also appreciate your help in the matter." Kaylin could feel the familiar nod, but was focused on what the Arkon had just dumped on her lap.

"You want _me_ to keep Bellusdeo safe in the middle of the _Baranni High Court_." The familiar hit her with his wing. "Us," she corrected. The Arkon had taken to saying the most ridiculous things, and Kaylin was beginning to believe that his age must be affecting him. She could feel Nightshade's irritation at the thought.

"Do not look at me like that," the Arkon ordered, apparently correctly guessing her thoughts. She really needed to learn some sort of poker face. Nightshade's agreement travelled through their bond. "It would be difficult to refuse the invitation at the time, and Bellusdeo has made it clear that she intends to accept." Of course she had. "She and Corporal Handred will meet you at the gates."

"I will ensure that she is appropriately attired for Court," Nightshade offered, joining the conversation. The Arkon grimaced.

"I am certain she will make that more difficult than necessary," he commiserated, "but we appreciate the effort." Kaylin frowned, not happy to be spoken of like that.

"If you will excuse us," Nightshade said with a bow. The Arkon nodded and cut the connection. The fieflord was already turning to her closet. "This one," he said, pulling out a pale blue dress, as lacking in sleeves as all the others "would be acceptable."

"Why this one?" Kaylin asked, turning her back on him to change. Given how fancy the dresses were, she would have thought any of them would be fine. The familiar flew off and landed on the bed. If he was more tolerant of Nightshade, and he was, he was not currently willing to visit with the fieflord. She could feel Nightshade's eyes on her skin as she drew the green dress over her head, but she wanted answers and chose to ignore it.

"Blue is associated with war," Nightshade answered, which made sense given Baranni eyes, "but a dark blue would imply profound fury." Dark blues could also mean fear, but no one would broadcast that; rage was considered safe. Kaylin nodded as she straightened the skirt. Nightshade stepped behind her and ran his fingers through her hair; she stilled at his touch. He had been touching her more recently, and it made her wary.

"You know it's just going to get messy again," Kaylin felt compelled to point out, although she made no move to stop him. It was exceedingly rare for someone to brush her hair, and she was caught in a strange nostalgia. She forced herself to turn and his hands fell away. She had no idea why, given the beauty of Baranni hair, he wanted to touch hers. 

"I have told you that I no longer value perfection," he told her, answering the thoughts she hadn't voiced. They moved together to the door, and Kaylin was surprised to find Andellen just outside the door. She shouldn't have been, but she'd only been awake a few minutes, and her brain hadn't caught up with everything that had been said.

"Lord Andellen," she greeted in Baranni. "You're coming with me?"

"Lord, Lord Kaylin," he acknowledged, offering them each a deep bow. Kaylin's eyebrows rose when she realized that the bow he had offered her was the equal to the bow he had offered Nightshade. "Yes," he answered, turning to her. "Since you have granted me entrance to the High Halls, I would like to take this opportunity to visit." Kaylin snorted.

"I can't grant you entrance to anything except my home." Kaylin felt Nightshade shift beside her.

"No, but it is in your name that I am once again allowed to walk to High Halls," Andellen replied. Kaylin sighed.

"Keep her safe," Nightshade instructed seriously, interrupting the conversation.

"Lord," Andellen acknowledged with another bow.

"Come visit when you have the time. You still have much to learn." There wasn't much Kaylin could say to that, but even if she had a response, it would have been lost; Nightshade leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. Kaylin flushed and turned away, Andellen trailing her in silence.

Severn and Bellusdeo were waiting in front of the High Halls. To Kaylin's astonishment, Teela was there too. Between Bellusdeo's orange eyes, and Teela's blue ones, it was hard to say who was more battle ready. 

"What are you doing here?" Kaylin gaped. Teela raised perfect eyebrows at her question.

"It might surprise you, Kitling, but I lived in the High Halls for centuries. I simply felt like visiting today, and encountered Lord Bellusdeo here." Sarcasm dripped from every word, and Kaylin was once again reminded that no one could be more sarcastic than Teela. Kaylin bit her tongue and bowed in silence; Bellusdeo snorted.

"If we're ready?" Severn asked. Kaylin really wanted to find out what work he had gotten called away on, but knew it was Wolf business and she couldn't intrude. It was hard not to ask anyway. If the beauty of the High Halls registered to Bellusdeo, she showed no sign of it. They walked through the halls that led to the throne room, and the Baranni that saw them stopped and stared. Kaylin was used to being stared at in the High Halls - she was mortal, after all - but the looks Bellusdeo was getting were more threatening, and Kaylin shifted close enough to grab the Dragon if it became necessary.

"High Lord, Lady," Teela said, bowing deeply before the two Baranni currently seated on their thrones, "I would like to introduce Lord Bellusdeo, of the Dragon Court." Every person in the room had turned to watch the interaction, and Kaylin felt herself tense. That much Baranni attention wasn't good for _anyone_. Her familiar apparently agreed; he was alert, perched on her shoulder surveying the room.

"High Lord, Lady," Bellusdeo greeted, offering them a bow that would only pass as polite between equals. People shifted at that, but the High Lord held up his hand, and no one interrupted. His eyes had remained equal parts blue and green.

"We wanted to thank you for your assistance during the recent conflict with the Ancients," he explained, as though everyone wasn't already aware of what was going on. Kaylin hated these sorts of interactions where things had to be said simply so you could say you said them. "We are in your debt," he added.

"Not at all," Bellusdeo demurred. "I owe the Chosen a debt and flew on her behalf," Kaylin's head snapped around at the words, and it was everything she could do not to swear. The Baranni _hated_ debt. "Any debt that exists is between the Chosen and the High Court." Kaylin was now the centre of attention and was once again reminded of the benefits of being _anywhere_ else.

"That's very difficult," the High Lord commented, "since I am already in Lord Kaylin's debt." It was the first time that Kaylin was aware of where the debt was publicly stated, and Kaylin tried not to cringe. This was _so_ not how she wanted the visit to go.

"Considering recent events," Teela cut in, "I believe being indebted to Lord Kaylin is entirely fashionable; all the best people are." Bellusdeo looked at her in surprise, then laughed. Her laugh was warm, and traveled. The Consort smiled.

"I must confess," the Lady said, joining the conversation at last, "that I was concerned about this meeting. Lord Kaylin warned me that I might like you, and I believe she was correct." The Lady stepped down from her throne and engulfed Kaylin in a hug - which was returned in full - before turning her attention to Bellusdeo. "I have heard that you accompany Lord Anteela drinking on occasion. I would like to join, next time." Keeping her mouth shut was the best Kaylin could do as the political landscape shifted beneath her feet. Bellusdeo was looking at the Consort with interest, but she glanced at Kaylin before answering.

"I find Lord Anteela an excellent drinking companion when I'm annoyed with the males at Court."

"I can certainly understand irritating men," the Lady commiserated, "and would appreciate an outlet for my frustration." Her reply startled a laugh out of Bellusdeo, and awkward shuffling from the rest of the Court. Kaylin almost laughed, herself; the Baranni High Court looked, in that moment, like children caught in a prank. She wondered what they had done to annoy the Lady. Ynpharion was conspicuously silent.

There was a disruption at the entrance to the throne room, and Kaylin was astonished to see Moran, in her full _praevolo_ outfit, with only the tabard of the Hawk to lend her any normalcy, leading the Baranni Hawks in. Clint and an Aerian Kaylin didn't know flanked Moran, but it was the way the Baranni Hawks had formed around Tain that caught Kaylin's attention. He was carrying something large, but Kaylin was too far away to see what it was. Teela had gone perfectly still.

 _What is Tain holding?_ Kaylin asked, reaching out for Ynpharion for the first time in days.

 _An Aerian_ , he answered readily. _Forgive me, I am not acquainted with any Aerians and cannot identify this one for you_. Kaylin didn't bother to curse immortal arrogance; there was no cure for it. _He seems to be gravely injured_ , Ynpharion added, with a twinge of irritation. Kaylin could see that since there was now a trail of blood on the pristine floors.

"Forgive the interruption," Moran began, bowing deeply to the Lord and Lady. Kaylin wanted to curse all forms of etiquette, but forced herself to stay still.

"The _praevolo_ does not need our forgiveness," the High Lord answered, because, in the end, his was the only opinion that mattered. "I am certain you would not have arrived without cause, and I have not yet congratulated you on returning to the skies that birthed you."

"Thank you," Moran said, bowing again. " We require Lord Kaylin's assistance as a healer."

"Are you also in Lord Kaylin's debt?" The Consort questioned as Kaylin made her way to the circle of Baranni Hawks. At Moran's nod, she continued. "Lord Anteela had just pointed out how profoundly fashionable it is to be in Lord Kaylin's debt. It would be unfortunate if you had been excluded from such an opportunity." Moran smiled but her eyes stayed blue. The Baranni Hawks shifted to let her through, and Kaylin's breath caught as she looked down on the broken body of the Hawklord.


	5. Chapter 5

"Put him down," Kaylin instructed quietly, in flawless High Baranni. Grace came to Kaylin only under the direst need, and the mutating form of the Hawklord certainly drove all petty concerns from her mind. She was surprised that Tain had consented to carry him, and more surprised with the care Tain showed when setting the Hawklord on the ground. Then, at last, the Baranni Hawks knelt before the High Lord. At a different time, Kaylin would have complained - they were there as Hawks - but right now she only had eyes for the Hawklord. The High Lord didn't appear to notice, regardless. Kaylin knelt beside her Lord, an eerie calm blanketing her as she examined him. She moved to unlock the bracer before remembering that she had taken it off the day before. Kaylin had gotten complacent; learning that Shadow was not intrinsically destructive had lowered her guard, but looking at the Shadow warping the Hawklord's wings, she was reminded of _why_ Shadow was so feared. "He's alive," Kaylin told the room at large, because there was nothing she could do if he wasn't.

"There is nothing that can be done," the Aerian beside Moran spoke coldly. "He is lost." Kaylin's heart froze at the words. Looking at the amount of damage the Shadow was causing, Kaylin wasn't certain he was wrong. She would have to strip most of the flesh from his wings, and didn't know if she would be able to rebuild them. Would he want to be saved if he couldn't fly? It didn't matter. _Kaylin_ couldn't let him go. She couldn't let the Shadow take him without trying, even if it was selfish. He could decide, if he survived, if it was worth it. She tuned out the discussions surrounding her and gave herself to her task. She watched her hands carefully as she reached for the Hawklord, concerned about how her shadow gloves would react. Seeing no change in them, she proceeded with the healing. The Shadow touching the Hawklord seemed drawn to him, as it had been with Bellusdeo in the recent fight. It showed no signs of spreading, but focused on the victim on hand. In _this_ case, the Hawklord.

Tearing the corrupted flesh from the Hawklord hurt, but it was a necessary pain and Kaylin worked through it. She pushed herself to rebuild what was lost, including his wings, and replace some blood, although she knew she would pay for that. Once his body was stable, she addressed the greater problem; he wasn't _there_. Remembering Caitlin, Kaylin forced herself to think of the Hawklord. To think of his rare, unwilling laughter. To think of his pride, and his pain, and his determination to make a difference in a city that was _so hard_ to balance. Holding onto these memories, Kaylin reached out. As she got a hold of him, other memories came. His frustration with her about her lessons was vivid and it made her smile. Slowly, she leaned back and broke the connection. She wasn't certain how many hours had passed, but she could barely feel her own body, so it was more than three. Kaylin was vaguely aware of a conversation passing around her. Was that Grethan? And what was Tiamaris doing in the middle of the Baranni High Court? If she'd been anywhere else, or if anyone else had been injured, Kaylin would probably have laid down on the floor and slept. Since she was nearly certain the Hawklord hadn't tripped over some Shadow on the floor and gotten eaten, there was reason to believe someone was trying to use Shadow to _assassinate_ her Lord.

"High Lord," Kaylin interrupted, forcing her eyes open. Her legs were numb, and it would be work to stand; she didn't bother. From her knees, she addressed the High Lord. "I request permission to use the mirrors."

"You are a member of the High Court, Lord Kaylin, no permission is needed." Kaylin nodded her acceptance and stiffly leaned forward to touch the ground between the Hawklord and the High Lord. Even if she'd been able to walk, she would have been unwilling to leave Bellusdeo and a vulnerable Hawklord behind. The Baranni High Court was never friendly and she would be extra careful until she had identified her Lord's enemy. "Mirrors," she said. The ground in front of her shifted, and Kaylin could feel the consternation of the Court as a pool of water rose from the ground. The Baranni Hawks moved, while remaining on their knees - Kaylin suspected they had not risen from them once in all the hours she had spent healing - otherwise they would have been knocked over. Kaylin dipped her fingers in the water. "Helen," she called out, and Helen answered.

"Kaylin, dear?" The avatar of her home formed in the pool. "Is something wrong?"

"My Lord has been injured," Kaylin replied, her voice entirely without inflection. Kaylin's rage at someone's attempt on the Hawklord had initially been superseded by her panic that that she was going to loose him. Having completed the healing, however, Kaylin forced the fury that threatened to choke her back. Her first priority had to be his safety; there would be time for rage later. "I would like you to guard him. Anyone who intends harm to my Lord is my enemy. Kill them." Kaylin's voice had rarely sounded so cold, but she would not be moved in this.

"I understand," Helen said after a pause. "Would you like to send him over now?"

"I'll have someone bring him-" Kaylin began, but Helen shook her head.

"We can take him through the mirrors." Kaylin's eyebrows shot up.

"You're willing to let someone _travel_ through the mirrors?"

"These mirrors are very strong, dear. The security won't be compromised." Kaylin stared at the water figure of Helen. "Your familiar can help." Kaylin glanced at him for confirmation and he bobbed his head in agreement. He leapt from his place on Kaylin's shoulder, and picked up the Hawklord by the remains of his shirt. It should have been impossible: the shirt should have ripped, the tiny familiar should never have been able to lift so much weight. It was, however, happening, and Kaylin watched in silence as Helen's water avatar took the Hawklord from the familiar. A moment later, he was gone. The familiar settled back on Kaylin's shoulder.

"I have made a room for him, dear. I will make sure he is settled."

"Thank you," Kaylin acknowledged. "He's going to be grumpy," she added, almost apologetically. No Hawk made a good patient; it was practically a rule. She was fairly certain it was Teela who chuckled, but when she craned her neck around to check, Teela's eyes were black. Which matched the deep red of Bellusdeo's. Oh good. Just what she needed. Two enraged Immortals. "He'll insist he's healed long before he is. He needs a full week of rest."

"I am not a prison," Helen replied with a frown. Kaylin met her eyes in silence, and Helen's sigh was her surrender. "I will try my best to detain him, dear. I will not, however, use force." Kaylin nodded in acceptance. Helen's avatar melted back into the water, and Kaylin turned her attention to the people hovering around her; quite a group had gathered while she had worked. She was aware that the Court was observing her, but she was far too tired to know what to do about it.

"Grethan, what are you doing here?" She asked, starting with the person who seemed most out of place. Grethan smiled at her concern.

"I am not as important as the Keeper, but as his apprentice, I am afforded some protection from political... difficulties." Kaylin stared at him. Why would he deliberately enter the Baranni High Court when he could wait and talk to Kaylin as soon as she left? If it was up to Kaylin, _she_ wouldn't enter the High Court. "The Keeper sends his regards," Grethan continued, getting to the purpose of his visit, "and a gift." Kaylin eyed the box warily.

"I don't think I want anything from the Keeper," she replied skeptically.

"Take it, Kaylin," Grethan insisted. Kaylin frowned at his tone. "He'll lock me out until you accept his gift." Kaylin hesitated, torn. On the one hand, she really didn't want a gift from Evanton; it couldn't be anything good. On the other hand, it really wasn't Grethan's fault, and if she didn't like the gift, she could just take it back. Decided, she reached out, and bit back a curse and magic bit her arm. She glared at Grethan, who seemed sympathetic. "You should open it." Stuck, because she didn't think she could put it down until she did, Kaylin carefully opened the box. Inside was a gold station necklace with five coloured gems. Looking at them, Kaylin could see the names for Fire, Water, and the Maker. More faintly, she could make out the words for Earth and Air.

"I don't want this!" She yelped, trying to shove the box back, to no avail.

"It's yours while you live," Grethan told her, still sounding sympathetic. Grethan's sympathy clearly wasn't getting in the way of him dumping this on her lap. She had worn medallions, briefly, that contained the name of a single Element, but she's never even seen one with _all_ of them. Considering how recently the Maker had been added to the Garden, this had to have been made by Evanton himself.

"Has Evanton _lost his mind?!_ " Kaylin asked, with a strong suspicion as to the answer to that. "This belongs in the Garden!" Bellusdeo shifted beside her, most likely with another comment on Kaylin's complete lack of respect for the Keeper, but Grethan spoke before she could.

"The necklace will stay with you until you die, then return automatically to the Garden," Grethan explained, as if Kaylin had never spoken. "I'll help you put it on."

"I don't want to wear it!" Kaylin protested.

"It'll be very hard for you to complete your duties while holding the box," Grethan pointed out, making Teela snort. Kaylin was distantly annoyed that this was providing entertainment for the Baranni. Frustrated that Grethan was right, and determined to take up her complaint with Evanton as soon as possible, Kaylin allowed Grethan to fasten the necklace around her neck. He had to bend down to reach her neck since she was still kneeling, but she hoped to get some blood back in her legs instead of falling face first when she tried to get up. Grethan carefully avoided the familiar perched on her shoulder. "It suits you," he assured her, which earned him the look that comment deserved. The necklace was strangely warm around her neck, but Kaylin figured she wasn't going to be wearing the damn thing long enough to find out why. Wishing vainly for a shirt which would cover the necklace, Kaylin cursed all things formal in the privacy of her mind.

"Is this going to kill anyone who touches it?" Kaylin asked, remembering the very strong warning she got from Sanabalis when she wore his medallion. Grethan hesitated, which Kaylin took as a _yes_. Her shoulders sagged.

"Not if they know the names of the Elements," Grethan offered, apparently trying to make her feel better. Kaylin grimaced. _Teela_ was better at comforting her than Grethan.

"The Keeper has excellent taste," Teela commented, on cue, and despite her nearly black eyes, Kaylin knew she couldn't be serious.

"You wouldn't be caught dead in this!"

"Well, it certainly wouldn't do me much good after I'm dead."

"Is there a reason the Keeper is treated with such blatant disrespect?" A red-eyed Bellusdeo interrupted. Kaylin's shrugged.

"He's _Evanton_ ," she explained, because really what more was there to say?

"I believe my master does not feel the need for formality with the Chosen," Grethan said, clearly trying to appease the angry Dragon. "I have been told hundreds of times that he would rather have her as an apprentice than me." Kaylin winced.

"I'm sorry." Grethan shook his head.

"There is nothing for you to apologize for, Kaylin. Anyone can see that you can be trusted with great power, and you have a strong affinity for the Elements. It's natural that the Keeper would want you as his successor." The fact that Grethan was the one comforting her was all wrong, and made Kaylin feel worse. Moran cleared her throat.

"Perhaps discussions about the Keeper's choice in jewelry can wait."

"What happened?" Kaylin asked, because as much as she didn't want to face the reality of it, someone had tried to _kill_ her Lord. Moran glanced over to the thrones. Kaylin took the hint; the Baranni High Court was not the place to discuss assassination attempts.

"High Lord, Lady, we have inconvenienced you long enough," Moran said, bowing the the High Lord and Lady, instead of answering Kaylin's question. "Thank you for your hospitality; I had hoped to introduce myself to you under better circumstances."

"The _praevollo_ is always welcome in these Halls," the High Lord replied. Which made sense to Kaylin, because, like him, Moran was a barrier against the incursion of Shadow. Kaylin hadn't even had a chance to greet everyone who had showed up - or figure out why they were here in the first place - but she was eager to get out. She could get answers somewhere else. Anywhere else. A pile of shadow covered flesh remained on the ground, however, and Kaylin considered how she could safely dispose of it. 

"Tiamaris," she began, feeling the weight of his stare on her back, "if you breathe on this, will that get rid of it?"

"A Dragon," Lord Evarrim interrupted, coming towards them in a swirl of robes, because no visit to the High Court was complete without his unsolicited commentary, "is not permitted to breathe fire in the High Halls." His tone made it clear that a Dragon should not be allowed to breathe in the High Halls, period.

"Do you have a better way of getting rid of this?" Kaylin asked, because at the moment she really didn't care how they dealt with it as long as it was safely disposed of.

"I will ensure the contamination does not spread," the High Lord offered, to Kaylin's surprise. Her eyebrows flew up, but she folded in a bow. 

"Thank you for you consideration," she replied. 

"High Lord," a Baranni Lord Kaylin wasn't familiar with came forward. "Given the contamination of Lord Kaylin's hands and the grievous nature of the Lord of the Hawks injuries," Kaylin felt her stomach drop, knowing this wasn't going in her favour, "it seems like Lord Kaylin is most likely involved in this incident. It might be best if the Court offers their support to the Hawks in this instance." The High Lord's eyes had shifted to a deep blue while the Lord spoke, but clearly the man didn't feel that there was any flaw with his words. Kaylin forced herself to her feet to meet this challenge.

"I _serve_ ," Kaylin said, with a passion no one present could have matched, "Lord Grammayre, Lord of the Hawks. I would _never_ harm him."

"And your hands?" 

"The Shadow Lord Kaylin carries on her skin was an injury taken in my defence," Bellusdeo interjected before Kaylin could reply. "I'm certain the High Court would not say such an effort was wasted." The irony there was heavy, and everyone heard it, but it wasn't a comment which could be publicly refuted without starting a fight. Or a war. The Baranni Lord stiffened in anger.

"Both Lord Bellusdeo and Lord Kaylin were fighting on my behalf," Moran told the Baranni Lord cooly, who stiffened in anger. "The Outcaste Dragon was spreading corruption in the Aerie, and we are surely in agreement that he needed to be stopped." The Baranni Lord narrowed his eyes at Kaylin; he was very expressive for a Baranni Lord. If Kaylin was honest she understood his concern - she wasn't comfortable with her new gloves, herself - but she wasn't in the mood to defend her actions before the stranger.

"How dare you bring such _filth_ into the High Halls?" He asked, his voice almost shaking with rage. Before Kaylin had a chance reply, she felt flame engulfed her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention earlier that I am not a Severn fan, so if you are, you may not like where I’m going with this. This is thoroughly a Nightlin story. I hope you continue to enjoy it!

_And people call_ me _stupid_ , Kaylin thought, appalled, but entirely unharmed in the centre of the pillar of fire. Whether it was the necklace, or the familiar, she couldn't say. It certainly wasn't her. She felt the heat of the fire, and if it didn't burn her - and it didn't - it was still damn hot. The fire brushed against her mind, and recognized her. Moments later, the fire's rage reached her. The fire moved, instantly, to the caster and consumed him. Kaylin drew a swift breath then reached out when she saw that the fire intended to continue to burn the Court. The Baranni Lords shifted to face the threat.

"Wait!" She called out, forcing her stiff legs into action. "Don't rampage!" The fire, even at a distance was fiercely hot, but it halted and let her approach.

 _You are angry_ , it said. Kaylin thought enraged would be a better word, but let it slide.

"Yes," Kaylin replied honestly, "but not at everyone. I don't know who I'm angry at, yet." The fire waited, unconvinced. Kaylin wasn't sure of the fire understood the concept of directed rage; Kaylin struggled with it, too, sometimes. "If you feel the need to rampage here, I'm going to be forced to try to stop you. We both know that you'd win. I'd just end up dead. Is that what you want?"

 _No!_ The fire answered, sounding upset. _You are certain you do not want me to burn here?_

_Yes._

_You will call me when you have need?_ Feeling its hope, and beneath that, its loneliness, Kaylin nodded gently.

 _I'll call you when it's cold, or dark, or I need something burned_ , Kaylin promised. The fire shifted from a pillar to the form of a man and raised a hand to brush her cheek. 

_We will miss you when you die_. Which wasn't the most encouraging way to start an investigation. _Why not?_

 _I will die_ , Kaylin acknowledged, trying to hide her grimace, _but I hope not for years. It'll certainly feel like a brief time to you, but to me it's a lifetime. My lifetime._ They looked at each other. Which was when Kaylin realized she was wearing another Elemental dress. She tried not to flinch.

 _Sleeves?_ The fire asked, picking up on her thoughts.

 _To cover my arms_ , she replied, knowing the request was petty as she voiced it. _It would be nice to have at least one formal dress with sleeves_ , she thought tiredly. Fire reached out and caught her hands. Concentrating, fire coated her arms, and after a moment sleeves were present. Kaylin felt absurdly grateful. _Thank you_. The fire looked at her a long minute before disappearing. There was nothing to be done about the dead Baranni, although considering she was wearing an Elemental medallion, she felt his form of attack was truly idiotic. She turned to the High Lord.

"Please forgive the..." Assassination attempt? Death of one of your Lords?

"There is no need to apologize for such a small disturbance, Lord Kaylin," the High Lord assured her. Count on the Baranni to consider the death of a Lord a small disturbance. Kaylin wondered what constituted a large disturbance. Scratch that, she would be happy if she never found out.

"Lord Kaylin," another unknown Baranni Lord said, approaching - and Kaylin swore, then, that she would learn the names of every member of the damn Court if it killed her - "I am not familiar with the current Lord of the Hawks, but given your attachment to him, perhaps you could tell us a little bit about him. We would be pleased to hear what makes him worthy of such loyalty." Kaylin heard the threat in the words and stilled.

"Forgive me," Kaylin replied cooly, "I am not gifted with words, and am certain I can find no way to adequately describe Lord Grammayre to you."

"Perhaps you will tell us how you met," he suggested, and Kaylin wondered then if he knew.

"I met Lord Grammayre when I was thirteen," Kaylin deflected, "and took my place amongst the Hawks once I was of age."

"You are happy serving him, then?" Kaylin couldn't help but narrow her eyes.

"I am. I pity anyone who has not found someone they can offer their loyalty to. Being a Lord of the High Court," Kaylin continued, "I am certain you understand."

"Of course," the Lord agreed, "but I find it hard to imagine this mortal possess much power. What, then, draws you to him?"

"I am not, as you are aware, Baranni," Kaylin told him, as though there was anyone in the room not aware of that fact, "and the things that drew me to him may seem less meaningful to you than they are to me."

"Perhaps you will allow us to judge for ourselves, Lord Kaylin." Kaylin paused, weighing her reply.

"When I first encountered Lord Grammayre, my life was without value, even to myself," she finally replied, not wanting to expose this much, but not having a better answer. "I do not believe that anyone else would have given me a second chance," Kaylin continued, "and had they, it would not have been the same. The person I am today is the person I became in order to prove worthy of my Lord."

"And your oaths to the High Court?" Here, Kaylin faltered because she hadn't _sworn_ any oaths to the High Lord.

"The High Halls are within the confines of the city Lord Kaylin is pledged to protect," the High Lord said, unexpectedly rescuing her. "Any additional oaths to the Court would be superfluous." Kaylin felt a rush of gratitude for the High Lord, but it reminded her of something Mandoran had said recently.

"Are people really trying to kill you?" Kaylin asked the High Lord, tired enough not to catch the words before they came out. Kaylin didn't need to turn to know Teela was _very_ unhappy with the question.

"Kitling-"

"No, but seriously, Teela," Kaylin defended, turning so she could see the Baranni Hawk, "I've never seen a stupid Baranni and I was just wondering what they looked like." Although the Baranni who had just tried to set her on fire might be a good contender. This seemed like a reasonable question, to Kaylin. Teela snorted and the High Lord laughed. The sound was warm, and traveled; Kaylin wished he laughed like that more often.

"They look similar to any other Baranni until they open their mouths, Kitling," Teela answered firmly.

"But-"

"Forgive me, High Lord," Teela interrupted, grabbing Kaylin's arm hard, but still managing to bow gracefully. "My kyuthe is fatigued from her healing. We do not wish to importune the Court any further on matters that concern the Hawk. Please accept our thanks for your indulgence." Kaylin kept her mouth shut and bowed deeply when Teela tightened her grip. She was _so_ going to have bruises tomorrow. They made it out of the room uncontested, surrounded by Baranni Hawks, two dragons, three Aerians and Grethan. Given the colour of their eyes, Kaylin felt like she was travelling with a small army.

"I really don't see what the problem with my question was," Kaylin complained as she was hauled along.

"Of course you don't," Teela muttered. "Thankfully, the High Lord chose to find your comment funny instead of profoundly insulting."

"Why would he find it insulting?" Kaylin asked, working not to trip over her own feet. "Anyone who thinks they can take him on is stupid, Teela." Teela muttered a Leontine phrase, and seeing that Teela didn't intend to answer her, Kaylin turned to Tiamaris. "What are you doing here?" She asked as they made their way to the doors. It was all she could do to keep moving and, as much as she wanted to start looking for the Hawklord's attacker, she knew she wouldn't do anyone any good for the next few hours. Turning to the Dragon, Kaylin found orange eyes watching her carefully.

"When I heard of the attack on your Lord, I wanted to offer you my support." Kaylin narrowed her eyes as she considered Tiamaris. She was tired, and thinking was hard, but she made the effort. He wasn't lying - he would be so pissed if she accused him of that - but he would never enter the Baranni High Court for that. If word had reached the Imperial Court that she was healing the Hawklord instead of guarding Bellusdeo - and someone was going to eat her for that - it would make sense to send someone else as backup. Tiamaris had complained more than once that as the youngest and least powerful member of the court, he was also the most disposable. Maybe it was the narrowing of her eyes that made him add, "I offered to come." 

"Bellusdeo wasn't hurt," she pointed out.

"No," he agreed. "It is almost a miracle. It is not, however, solely for Bellusdeo's sake that I am here."

"I'm not going to rampage," she assured him, feeling a little offended, even though there was no denying that she _wanted_ to. Kaylin's stomach dropped when they made it outside and she saw the length of the shadows. She had spent most of the day healing the Hawklord.

"I need to go," Severn said once they had cleared the High Halls. Kaylin felt like she'd been slapped. She stopped and turned to stare at him, certain she'd heard wrong. The Hawks fell in around her, protectively.

"The Hawklord was almost killed," she protested. "Your place is here. I mean, not the front steps of the High Halls, but investigating with us."

"I've been seconded to the Wolves for the time being, and I cannot afford to be absent any longer than I have been." Kaylin felt like she was looking at a stranger.

"You're a _Hawk_."

"At the moment I am a Wolf, Kaylin, and my duty is clear." Kaylin said nothing. She understood duty, but even if he'd been seconded to the Wolves, even if he had been a Wolf in the past, _right now_ he was a Hawk. She was tired, and stiff, and couldn't find the words; Severn continued speaking. "There are other Hawks who can help you. At the moment, I am the only Wolf capable of doing what needs to be done for this matter." He looked guilty, but that didn't change the fact that he was _leaving_.

"What's so important?" Kaylin snapped, hurt. "Is it a Hunt?"

"It's not a Hunt," he replied. What else did the Wolves do?

"Yet." She heard the word he didn't say. Kaylin felt cold and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt Teela drape an arm around her shoulders and leaned into her feeling strangely young and lost. It was rare for Teela to hold her like this. The familiar rubbed his head against her cheek. 

"Go, Corporal," Tella said, in cool blue-eyed Baranni irritation. "We'll look after the kitling." Severn hesitated and met Kaylin's eyes.

"We'll talk later," he promised. Kaylin nodded numbly.

"Bellusdeo, Lord Tiamaris, Grethan, Lord Andellen, what are your plans?" Teela, of course, made no mention of Severn's decision - although Kaylin was sure there would be a discussion about it in the future - but slowed down to accommodate a very tired Kaylin.

"I need to get back to Evanton," Grethan told them, earning a grimace from Kaylin. 

"Tell that bastard I'm going to get him for this."

"No, thanks." Grethan countered, sounding amused. "You can tell him yourself." Kaylin snorted, but waved him off. She would deal with Evanton when she could stand properly.

"If you have things in hand, I would like to return to my fief," Tiamaris answered. Teela must have nodded, because the next thing Kaylin knew Tiamaris was heading off as well.

"I will, of course, offer any aid I can to Kaylin," was Bellusdeo's predictable response. It was Andellen's surprising reply that got Kaylin to focus her eyes on him.

"With Lord Kaylin's permission, I would like to offer my assistance."

"Why?" She asked, too tired to mince words. He seemed to take no offence.

"I owe you a debt, Lord Kaylin," Kaylin grimaced, but didn't dispute the fact. There was no point. "I am aware that you value Lord Grammayre's life above your own. Aiding you would therefore give me an opportunity to discharge me debt." Kaylin closed her eyes tiredly.

"Kitling?" Teela asked, apparently prepared to let her decide. Kaylin nodded.

"He's ok." Which was apparently all Teela needed, because she swiftly continued.

"What about your shadow, Moran?" Teela asked, looking at the strange Aerian. 

"You can head off," Moran told Clint and the stranger firmly. "I have clearly made it out of the Baranni High Court unharmed." Clint looked like he had something to say - a lot of somethings, apparently - and the man looked unhappy, but apparently weren't up for challenging the _praevolo_. They headed for the skies.

"Kitling, Tain, and I will head the investigation," Teela decided, apparently speaking to the Baranni Hawks who now escorted them down the streets. "We will call for you if we need backup." There was a stir, and when Kaylin forced her eyes open she could see the blurry forms of the Baranni Hawks moving away. 

"Thank you!" Kaylin called out hoarsely. There was a pause as they acknowledged her thanks then melted into the city.

"We will also need all the Records on the incident," Teela continued. Kaylin was grateful that Teela had taken charge, and even though it was awkward, stayed nestled in the Baranni woman's arms as they walked away.

"All the Records we have of the event are being sent to Helen," Moran told Teela. Teela glanced at her.

"You believe someone betrayed Lord Grammayre?"

"It's possible," Moran replied. "Lord Grammayre is not an easy target."

"We'll need to examine the site," Teela added. "Where did the attack occur?"

"Just as he left the Aerie," Moran said, looking embarrassed. "I was out, or I would have been aware of it."

"I'm not accusing you of anything," Teela told her, "but it'll be hard to investigate in the air."

"That's what I'm here for," Bellusdeo cut in mildly. Teela glanced at her with a sharp smile.

"I suppose there is the odd advantage to being a Dragon."

"One or two," Bellusdeo agreed. To Kaylin surprise, both their eyes had lightened during the exchange. She was _never_ going to understand Immortals. Teela, however, done with the pleasantries, turned her attention back to Moran. "I assume we'll have access to the areas he was prior to the attack."

"Yes, but tomorrow," Moran said firmly. "After that healing, Kaylin can barely walk. It was impressive, by the way."

"I can walk," Kaylin interrupted, which was true. She was leaning heavily on Teela and the street was becoming more blurry as she forced herself forward, but she was walking. She heard Teela sigh when she stumbled, then she was lifted off the ground. "Honestly, Kitling," Teela grumbled speeding up now that Kaylin wasn't shuffling along beside them. "You're always _so much_ trouble."

"You could just ditch me," Kaylin replied bitterly. Teela snorted.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily." Kaylin closed her eyes and let Teela carry her home.


	7. Chapter 7

Kaylin slept poorly. It was almost unheard of, given her usual state of fatigue when she fell into bed, but Severn's words and actions bothered her. What was going on? After a paltry three hours, she gave up and forced her feet to move. Her familiar took his place on her shoulders, and appeared to fall back to sleep. Kaylin wished she could do the same.

"He's downstairs, dear," Helen told her helpfully. Kaylin was surprised, given the way they had parted, but thankful. She checked on the Hawklord then stumbled down the stairs and found him - _reading_ of all things - in the 'informal parlour'.

"What's going on, Severn?" She asked.

"It's Caste Court business, Kaylin," Severn said stiffly, putting down the book he had been holding. Had something happened while she was healing that no one had bothered to tell her about? She hadn't seen any bodies before leaving.

"I'm part of the Court," Kaylin snapped, hurt that Severn was locking her out.

"The human Caste Court," he clarified.

"If you can't tell me what you're doing, why are you here?" She asked, still bothered. "Why would you have anything to do with the human Caste Court, anyway? You said you're not on a Hunt."

"I'm not," he agreed cautiously.

"Then what is it?" She was getting frustrated. The Hawklord had almost been killed and she needed him. Why couldn't he see that? "It's not like you're a member-" Seeing him stiffen, Kaylin froze. "You're a fief orphan," she said slowly. "How could you possibly be a member of the human Caste Court?"

"I'm not a member," he eventually replied, "but my father was the Captain of the Castelord's guard." Kaylin gaped.

"He was _what?_ How the hells did you end up in the _fief?_ " Severn hesitated. "If your father was made Outcaste-" but Severn was already shaking his head.

"It was because of your mother," he answered, which froze all of Kaylin's words. "She was the Castelord's lover," he continued, changing everything Kaylin had ever known, "but he didn't want an illegitimate child." Of course he didn't. He was probably married. "She felt she was in danger and fled to the fiefs where the Caste Court would have difficulty reaching her. By the time my father found her, you had been born, so we moved to the fief to protect you and your mother." Kaylin sat down, hard. It was like she had stepped into someone else's life. Everything she had known to be true, everything she had believed was wrong. And Severn had _known_.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked hollowly. She saw Severn wince, but didn't have it in her to comfort him. Not now, and maybe not ever.

"You were so innocent as a child," he said, and the words made Kaylin flinch, "and your mother didn't want you know."

"Don't blame my mother! I was _five_ when she died! You've had years to tell me!" Kaylin snapped, turning on him. Severn's mouth tightened, but Kaylin continued. "So, what you've been reporting to the Castelord my entire life? What the hells gives him the right to know anything about me?"

"He's your father, Kaylin," Severn said in a rare display of temper.

"He wanted me dead!" Kaylin objected.

"Not once you were born," Severn argued. Kaylin stared at him.

"So that makes it ok?" Kaylin asked, and it was Severn's turn to flinch. "He wanted me dead because it would inconvenience him if I was born, but that's ok?" She stared at him, wondering if she had ever truly known him. 

"You've forgiven a lot of people who have wanted you dead, Kaylin." Which was true, but Kaylin hadn't expected anything else of them. They weren't her parents, they didn't owe her anything. But her father did, or should have. "Listen, Kaylin," Severn said, softening his voice and stepping towards her. Kaylin took a step back, shaking her head.

"I can't-" she said. "I need to-" Desperately, she turned and, pushing past Helen, fled the house.

It wasn't until Kaylin ran, literally, into Andellen that she realized she had headed to the fiefs. He could, undoubtedly, have avoided her, but he reached out and caught her before she fell. Clearly there was something wrong with her brain if the fief was somewhere she was running _to_ , not somewhere she was running _from_.

"Lord Kaylin," he greeted, stepping back to bow. Kaylin was vaguely aware that people had slowed down to watch the scene unfold; they had probably expected her to be instantly killed for running into one of the fieflord's guards. She didn't turn to see who was betting.

"Lord Andellen," she replied hollowly, but she had no words to add to that. She wasn't ready to talk about what she had just learned, and even if she had been, she wouldn't have spoken to him about them. After a moment, Andellen spoke again.

"If you like, I would be happy to spar with you." Kaylin's eyebrows rose to her hairline at the offer. Outside of the Baranni Hawks, no one offered to spar with her. She hesitated, torn.

"Can I take a rain check on that? I'd really like to take you up on that, but not today." Andellen nodded gracefully.

"I was going to check on the area being cleared for farming," he said, causing Kaylin to focus on something other than her own pain and confusion. "Perhaps you would like to join me?"

"There are going to be farms here?" She asked curiously, falling into step beside him. If the Hawklord had been attacked somewhere else, Kaylin would have gone to investigate on her own, but, she knew that if she showed up at the Aerie early, Moran would tie her to a bed until she was sufficiently rested. Andellen smiled gently at her, and began to explain the plans for the new fief. It sounded a lot better than the old one.

With Andellen as a guide, it took over an hour for them to reach Nightshade. Andellen led her to the portal, then took his leave. Kaylin grimaced, but, knowing it would have cause trouble if she avoided Nightshade after spending time with Andellen, walked through the portal. Nightshade was waiting for her when she found her feet on the other side.

"That's a nice necklace," Nightshade commented, examining it. Kaylin had completely forgotten about the damn thing. When he reached out to trace it, however, Kaylin took a step back.

"You can't-"

"I know the names of the Elements," he assured her, reaching out a second time. This time she didn't move as he traced his fingers along it. "The Keeper has honoured you with this gift." Kaylin could have done without the honour.

"I have no idea why he made Grethan the delivery boy; he could have just waited till I stopped by the shop." Nightshade looked at her, and Kaylin frowned when she realized he expected her to understand. He offered her an arm, and she was tired enough to want it. 

"The Keeper sent a message to the High Court that you have his favour," Nightshade explained. 

"Gods," Kaylin muttered, "that's _political_." She used the same tone of voice most people applied to their crap. 

"Very," Nightshade agreed, "but this is not what has you so upset. I understand that the attack on your Lord is difficult, but that's not all there is. What has happened?" Nightshade questioned, taking her hands and leading her to the sofa in their usual meeting room.

"You don't know?" She asked bitterly. He raised a brow at her tone and his eyes shaded to blue.

"I am aware that your Severn has caused you pain, again." Kaylin flinched at the reminder. She didn't consider herself naive; how could she have missed the holes in his story? _Because it's Severn_ , her mind helpfully supplied, and it was true. Severn had been her world as a child and she had never questioned it. Kaylin argued with everyone who called her a child, but once she and Severn had worked through their memories of Steffi and Jade, she had accepted him without question. It was a child's response. She knew almost nothing about his life over the past seven years, and there was a lot missing before it. She knew that, now. "I am less certain of how he has hurt you. Your thoughts are... confused." Kaylin snorted.

"I'm thinking you should ask Tara about growing potatoes in the fief, since I know she's gotten it to work without them rotting in the ground." Which was a one thought, but certainly not her focus. Nightshade simply waited, and since he could out wait her any day, she forced the words out. "Severn's a spy," she told him.

"Not for the Emperor," he prodded, causing her to shake her head.

"For the human Caste Court." She shook her head then added, "for the human Caste _lord_."

"Why, Kaylin?" He asked intently. Yeah, that was the question of the day, wasn't it?

"I'm his daughter, apparently," Kaylin said, still unable to wrap her head around that. Kaylin had never wanted anything to do with the human Caste Court. "The Castelord's, I mean." Nightshade nodded.

"I had understood," he assured her. Nightshade sat in silence, and Kaylin knew he would continue to wait until she had gathered the words she wanted to speak. 

"My mother was the Castelord's lover. When she got pregnant with me, the Castelord pushed her to get rid of me; he was already married, I think, and an illegitimate child would harm his position in Court." Kaylin felt Nightshade's hand tighten around hers and glanced up to meet his very blue eyes.

"I am not fond of parents who will sacrifice their children for their own gain," he explained and something in Kaylin softened because she _knew_ it was true. Nightshade, whatever his flaws - and the list was _long_ \- would not sell out his children or allow them to be harmed. Maybe that was why he didn't have any. After a moment, Kaylin continued.

"Mother felt it wasn't safe for her to remain at Court. I'm not sure why she chose your fief. Maybe she wanted a fief not ruled by humans who would sell her out to the human Caste Court." Nightshade nodded, accepting the possibility.

"And Severn?" He eventually prompted. That was the hard part. The rest she could understand, sort of; she didn't expect better of the human Caste Court. The fact that her mother had had an affair with a married man bothered her, but at this point it was supposition. The hardest thing was that she had trusted Severn from the first day they met.

"Severn's father was the Captain of the Castelord's guards, and he eventually found my mother here. By that point, I had been born, so the Castelord assigned him to guard my mother and I from within the fief. I think, he wanted someone watching me in case he needed a backup heir. Severn didn't say that, by the way, I'm just guessing. I don't know why else he would bother to monitor an illegitimate child." When Nightshade remained silent, Kaylin continued. "The Captain brought his son, Severn, with him when he moved and they observed my mother and I." She fell silent, again. She had never noticed. How could she have been so ignorant that she was being observed? She was used, now, to being under surveillance - by too many people who really needed better things to do with their time - but she _expected_ Sanabalis to report anything noteworthy to the Emperor. There was no betrayal, no misrepresentation. No wonder Severn was always two steps ahead of her. His father had taught him to fight, how to contact people in the city for information. Did they know about her marks? Her healing? Steffi and Jade?

"Do you think Severn should have told you all this when you were a child?"

"Yes. No." Both answers were true. She _wanted_ Severn to have told her from the start why he knew who she was, why he helped her when he walked past other orphans. Because Severn wasn't someone who picked up people as he went; the _only_ person he had picked up was her. Why had she never realized how strange that was? Why had she never cared why he knew her name, or what he spoke to her mother about?

"Do you think you could have kept your identity a secret, if you had known?" Kaylin grimaced, because that was the other side of the equation. She _knew_ she couldn't have. She had trouble keeping secrets now; she would have stood no chance, at all, as a child. Being the Castelord's daughter would have sounded like a day dream. She would have imagined beautiful clothes, without considering any of the ugly realities the Courts tended to incorporate.

"Why are you supporting Severn?" She asked in frustration. Nightshade raised a brow.

"I'm not." When he didn't elaborate, she sighed.

"When I was a child was one thing, but why hasn't he told me since? We made - I _thought_ we made - our peace a year ago. Why didn't he tell me?" The question sounded like a plea.

"That is not a question for me to answer, but I believe that he was trying to regain your trust," Nightshade explained softly, as if she wasn't perfectly aware of the fact.

"This isn't how to do it," she argued, blinking back tears.

"No," he agreed, reaching out and brush her cheek. She leaned into his touch; it felt like the only warmth left in the world.

"I don't know who to trust," she admitted. "Don't tell me not to trust anyone," she added, as he opened his mouth. "I can't do that. I can't live believing everyone is my enemy."

"Even if you get hurt?"

"Even then," she said, and that affirmation settled her. She _hurt_ now, and she wasn't sure she and Severn could ever go back to what they had been, but she would keep believing in people.

"This isn't entirely what I had planned for the evening," the fieflord commented, "but maybe you could help me review my laws." Kaylin couldn't help but be interested. 

"How's that going?"

Three hours later, she was less impressed. "How can it take six thousand words to say don't steal?"

"I believe you have an example before you, Kaylin. If you like, I can expand the section." His eyes were green and Kaylin was tempted to throw the laws at him.

"It only takes one thousand and twenty-seven words for the Emperor to say this," she complained, and yes, she had counted. It was, in her opinion, one thousand twenty-five words too many.

"Dragons are, as a race, severely lacking in refinement." Kaylin groaned.

"There is something wrong with all of you," she told him, dropping her head to the table where they had spread out the draft laws. 

"'All of us' meaning Immortals?"

"Yes," she agreed, her voice muffled. "You have too much time, so you waste it making things unnecessarily complicated." Kaylin was aware of Nightshade getting up and coming to stand beside her even without opening her eyes.

"You may sleep here," he told her, "if you are not yet prepared to return to your home." Staying over at Nightshade's place had never been her plan - she hadn't _had_ a plan when she had run out of the house - but he was right. She wasn't ready to return. Had Helen known that Severn was lying to her? Kaylin didn't believe her friends were aware of it, but how could _Helen_ not be? She reluctantly got to her feet and took the arm Nightshade offered. When they reached her door, he cupped her cheek in his hand. Kaylin closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss. His lips were, as always, soft and warm on her own. She was surprised when his tongue traced her lips, and hesitantly opened her mouth. His tongue slipped in, deepening the kiss, and Kaylin felt desire coil in her belly. Kaylin leaned towards him and was surprised to feel his hand on her hip, steadying her, keeping her from pressing against him. Kaylin wasn't sure how long they had spent exploring each other's mouths when Nightshade drew back, eyes violet. "Good night, Kaylin." Kaylin blushed, and fled into her room. She didn't sleep well for an entirely different reason that evening.


	8. Chapter 8

For the second day in a row, Kaylin woke to find Nightshade stroking her hair. She peered blearily at him for a moment, trying to orient herself, before memories of their kiss the night before made her want to crawl under the covers and _hide_. She didn't need a mirror to know that her cheeks were bright red. _His_ eyes were green; the bastard had probably heard the thought.

"As much as I would enjoy having you stay here for the day," he said mildly, "I believe that you intended to investigate the attack on Lord Grammayre, today." His words forced her to sit up. She was still upset - with Severn, with herself, and possibly with Helen - but she had given her oath to the Hawklord and concern for him propelled her to her feet. She had the choice between dislodging the familiar or the fieflord in order to get up; the bite she got may have been deserved, but didn't improve her mood any.

"Where's my uniform?" Kaylin asked, glancing around.

"I have had the shirt and pants replaced," Nightshade told her - because nobody could do high-handed like the Baranni - "and you will find the tabard hanging in your closet." He handed her clothes - loose, flowing clothes, nothing like her usual pants and shirt.

"I can't wear these!" She protested, outrage waking her up in a hurry.

"You will find that statement to be materially inaccurate," he replied, his eyes shading to blue. "Why do you find them objectionable?"

"They're _fancy_." Kaylin hated the fact that the word came out as a whine. Nightshade got to his feet, walked over, and brushed his fingers gently over her face.

"You will find that you can move freely in them," he assured her. "You need not concern yourself with the cost since they are a gift from me. There is no grounds for your objection, that I can see." 

"What if I damage them?" Kaylin asked, knowing that her track record with clothes wasn't good.

"I am aware of the possibility, Kaylin. I will not be angered by the loss." Kaylin sighed, defeated. It wasn't a rational objection; it was about habit, and comfort. She wouldn't feel like herself in these.

"Thanks," she mumbled, aware that it was possibly the least gracious thanks he had ever received. "Um," she said, when he didn't step back.

"Despite the situation, the Imperial Ball will not be deferred." Kaylin grimaced; she had totally forgotten about that. "I will, therefore, be expecting you this evening to continue our lessons." Kaylin groaned. If the Hawklord hadn't been injured, Kaylin would probably have turned and crawled back into bed. She _definitely_ wasn't getting paid enough for this.

"Yeah," she sighed. He raised a brow at her response. "I mean, yes, thank you." He nodded, accepting her second try. To Kaylin's surprise, he turned his back while she changed. The familiar took his place on her shoulder once she had finished. They exited her room together and almost tripped over Andellen. Or Kaylin did. Nightshade was as unflappable as ever. Either that, or he had known that Andellen was waiting outside again and had failed to warm her. He met her eyes in acknowledgment. The Baranni needed to develop a sense of humour that non-Baranni people could appreciate; Kaylin wasn't holding out much hope.

"Lord, Lord Kaylin," Andellen greeted, bowing to them both. "Since I will be assisting you with your investigation, Lord Kaylin, I thought I could accompany you to your home." Kaylin grimaced. At this exact moment, Helen didn't feel much like home. Kaylin had never worried about what Helen or Tara saw in her because she had not thought they were judging, but if Helen was covering for Severn, then she _was_ judging. Kaylin wasn't really happy with that at the moment.

"Sure." She accepted his offer without even a token protest - having him follow her all the way to the city would be unnecessarily awkward - and turned to Nightshade. She froze when kissed her again, but couldn't help but lean into it. This was getting to be a very bad habit, and she needed to stop. Now. 

"I will see you this evening, _Erenne_ ," Nightshade said as he drew back, violet-eyed. Kaylin swallowed, but couldn't find words and all but ran out of the Castle. They had been walking for the better part of ten minutes when Andellen chose to break the silence.

"Would you be willing to explain your objection to being my Lord's _Erenne_ , Lord Kaylin?" Kaylin exhaled heavily.

"Would you be willing to explain to me exactly what an _Erenne_ is meant to be?" She deflected.

"I believe my Lord's actions over the past few days have made the nature of the relationship clear," he commented, ignoring the way Kaylin flushed, "if it wasn't previously."

"Yes, but that's not why every Baranni I know is upset about it," Kaylin replied, kicking a rock.

"No," Andellen agreed, "but it could be, Lord Kaylin. You do not, I believe, trust many Baranni," Kaylin snorted at the understatement, "but please keep in mind that we trust fewer still. Lord An'teela and the other Baranni of your acquaintance will never trust my Lord. That is reason enough for them not to want you in any sort of relationship with him."

"That's not the only reason," Kaylin denied. "The mark bothers them." Andellen nodded in agreement. 

"No, it's not the only reason, but it is a significant one." They walked in silence for several minutes. "Most mortals would, I believe, be honoured to bear my Lord's mark," Andellen tried again, causing Kaylin to frown. "Forgive me, Lord Kaylin," Andellen said, "but I am highly supportive of you becoming my Lord's _Erenne_."

"Andellen, I'm not a sword. He thinks of me like _Meliannos_ , like something he can use and discard when he wants." It was Andellen's turn to frown.

"I believe you are misunderstanding my Lord." Of course she was. "He clearly finds you interesting, and no sword, no matter how well forged, or useful, could hold his interest for long."

"You just think it would be interesting having me as his _Erenne_ ," Kaylin pointed out morosely.

"Indeed," he agreed, as if that were a perfectly acceptable answer. "You fail to understand, Lord Kaylin, what high praise it is to be called interesting." Kaylin didn't think that qualified as praise _at all_.

"Interesting," Kaylin explained to him, "is something people use to describe a book, or a play. It's not how you talk about a _person_."

"Is it not?" He asked, glancing in her direction. "I can hardly think of higher praise, and only a handful of people who would qualify."

"Who would qualify?" Kaylin questioned dubiously.

"You and my Lord, of course." Kaylin grimaced. Being compared to the fieflord was _definitely_ not a compliment. Andellen's expression shifted, and Kaylin realized he was trying not to laugh.

"You said there were bets going," she said, steering the conversation away from anything Andellen thought she and Nightshade had in common. Andellen nodded. "What odds?" Andellen smiled, but didn't reply. "Which way did you bet?"

"I found myself struck with a sense of profound optimism," he replied, sliding into Elantran for the last word. Kaylin snorted. The Baranni were _never_ optimistic.

"How much did you bet?"

"I did not bet money," Andellen replied dismissively. Kaylin fought back the first three replies that came to mind and they continued walking in silence. By the time they made it to Helen, Teela and Tain were waiting on the steps.

"About damn time, Kitling," Teela greeted, only nodding to Andellen in acknowledgment. Tain was lounging beside her. "I heard you had a fight with your Corporal," Teela added.

"He's not mine," Kaylin snapped, with enough bitterness to send Teela's eyebrows shooting up. Tain whistled. He might have added words to that, but Helen came out of the house.

"Kaylin," she greeted, looking as uncertain as Kaylin felt. Kaylin wanted to go and comfort her, but she needed to know.

"Did you know?"

"No," Helen replied quickly. "Severn has mastered internal silence, and everything I knew about him came from others. What they did not know, I did not know, either." Kaylin looked at her. Did she believe Helen? She knew what she _wanted_ to believe, but that almost made it harder. Remembering her resolution from the night before, Kaylin took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and walked forward to embrace Helen. Helen lost inches of height as she folded into the hug.

"The Hawklord?" Kaylin asked, letting go. 

"He hasn't woken, dear," Helen replied, as if they weren't stepping back from a dangerous precipice that could have destroyed their relationship. Kaylin nodded, then glanced at Teela.

"We'll come in," she said. "Moran transferred the Records of the event here anyway." Kaylin nodded then considered why Teela and Tain had been lounging in front of the house.

"Thanks, Teela," Kaylin said, meaning it. "I'm going to check on the Hawklord, then I'll be right down." The Hawklord was still sleeping when she went in, but his colour was better and Kaylin expected him to make a complete recovery. Kaylin blinked back the tears of relief that brought her, before heading own to find Teela, Tain, Bellusdeo, and Andellen in the small parlour with food laid out for her. She took a moment to marvel that Annarion and Mandoran hadn't invited themselves to the meeting, but figured she owed Teela for that.

"I know you haven't eaten, dear," Helen commented, following her in. Kaylin simply nodded and took a seat in front of the food. There was no point having breakfast right before walking through the portal; she'd never have kept it down.

"What do we know?" Kaylin asked, stuffing food in her mouth. It didn't take long to go through the information they had. The Hawklord had urgently returned to the Aerie following a mirrored conversation with his wife, stayed only briefly, then been attacked as he left. There were a handful of witnesses who saw Shadow twist the Hawklord's wings and him plummet towards the ground before the air - apparently on the command of Moran's escort from yesterday - had caught him. If anyone had seen what led to his wings being covered in Shadow, no one was talking. Kaylin frowned, considering. Moran had proven herself _praevolo_ , but did she still have enemies in the Aerie? Would people deliberately conceal information to undermine her?

"Yes," Teela answered, because no one needed to know Kaylin's True Name to know what _she_ was thinking. Kaylin grimaced and got the words out before Teela could continue.

"Don't tell me I'm an open book." If Kaylin had a penny for every time Teela told her that, she would be rich; if she had a penny for every time anyone told her that, she would be _obscenely_ rich. Teela snorted, but let it go. "We need to talk to - what's the Hawklord's wife's name?"

"Lady Grammayre," Teela replied, her mouth twisted in distaste.

"She doesn't have a name of her own?" Kaylin asked incredulously.

"She gave it up when she married," Teela explained. Kaylin tried to wrap her head around that, but something else occurred to her.

"Has she made any effort to contact the Hawklord?"

"No," Teela answered, her eyes a shade too blue for comfort.

"Here?" Kaylin pressed, because the Hawklord was her husband.

"No," Helen answered, and it was clear from Teela's expression that this was not a surprise.

"But she's his _wife_ ," Kaylin protested. 

"It may have been a political marriage," Teela offered grudgingly. "I am not certain." Kaylin tried to wrap her head around marrying someone for politics before letting it go. "Bellusdeo, can you carry four people up to the Aerie?" She questioned, because a more immediate problem than the Hawklord's relationship with his wife came to mind.

"I can," Bellusdeo replied, in a voice that clearly said _but I won’t_. Kaylin frowned.

"Your pet can carry you and I up," Teela suggested, "if Bellusdeo will consent to carrying Tain and Lord Andellen up."

"Why divide the groups like that?" Kaylin asked, because it was clearly deliberate. When three sets of blue eyes settled on her, Kaylin fought not to fidget.

"She believes that Lord Nightshade -" Helen's mouth twisted in distaste, "would react badly to you holding another man, or one holding you." Kaylin's mouth dropped open.

"You think he'd be _jealous?_ " Kaylin asked Teela incredulously. Bellusdeo's laugh cut the tension. Teela met Andellen's eyes.

"You are," Teela offered, her eyes lightening as she spoke, "free to explain this, Lord Andellen."

"I am not as familiar with Lord Kaylin as you are, Lord An'teela, and am certain no explanation I could offer would be the equal to your own." He said with a smile, flecks of green appearing in his eyes.

"No talking about the me like I'm not here," Kaylin interrupted, annoyed, before Teela could punt the conversation ball back at Andellen.

"The answer, kitling, is yes, I think Lord Nightshade would take it badly to have another man so close to you."

"I'll agree to carry these two," Bellusdeo commented, gesturing to Tain and Andellen, "if you deal with Kaylin." Kaylin frowned at the Dragon and opened her mouth, but Teela threw an arm around her shoulders and dragged her out.

"Bye, Helen!" Kaylin called out as they left. 

Once they were on the sidewalk, Teela prodded the familiar draped over Kaylin's shoulder.

"We need to fly," she told the creature, "so make yourself useful." He stared at Teela for what seemed an uncomfortably long time before nodding and flying into the middle of the - thankfully empty - street. 

"Um, Bellusdeo," Kaylin asked, addressing the gold Dragon now occupying a large portion of the road, "did you happen to mention to anyone at the palace that you would be going Dragon?"

"Kitling," Teela said with a snort, as Bellusdeo laughed openly, "please tell me it did not just occur to you that this might be a problem."

"Um," Kaylin replied.

"Kitling," Tain cut in, "it is an absolute miracle that you have not successfully gotten yourself killed yet."

"I'm really not trying to get myself killed," Kaylin defended. Seeing that even Andellen was amused, Kaylin let her shoulders droop. With this many Immortals around, she was completely outnumbered.

"I have, of course, informed the Arkon of my intent," Bellusdeo assured Kaylin. The familiar - now nearly the same size as Bellusdeo - prodded Kaylin in the shoulder with his snout.

"We're coming," she mumbled, climbing on, and watching with no little envy as the three Baranni effortlessly took their places.

"So," Teela asked, as they took off, "what happened yesterday?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh?" Teela said, raising a brow, "and when someone else tells you that they don't want to talk about something, how good are you at letting that go?" Kaylin grimaced. Nobody liked a hypocrite, even if they were one. Kaylin forced herself to give a brief summary of Severn's words; she knew Teela wouldn't let it drop until she did.

"You're the Castelord's daughter," Teela repeated. There was some silence and then Teela threw back her head and laughed. Even Tain joined in. Kaylin hadn't realized, given the distance between the Dragon and the familiar, that he could hear it. Their laughter was warm, beautiful, and entirely annoying.

"It's not funny, Teela," Kaylin complained.

"You're wrong, Kitling, that's _priceless_." Kaylin had never seen a Baranni so amused and promised herself then and there that this would never happen again.


	9. Chapter 9

Kaylin didn't think it was fair that small and squawky bit her for _thinking_ that she preferred Aerian flight to Dragon flight; it’s not like she said it out loud. Both he and Bellusdeo had shifted once their passengers had dismounted.

"At least he waited till he had shrunk," Teela pointed out with typical Baranni sympathy. Kaylin shifted the focus of her glower away from the familiar on her shoulder. 

"I've gathered the witnesses.” Moran entered the room flanked by guards, cutting the argument off before they could really get going. She was dressed as _praevolo_ , with no Hawk to lend her normalcy; Kaylin forced herself to ignore that. “I assume you would like to begin by speaking to Lady Grammayre.” Teela nodded and they followed Moran to a room with a desk and a few chairs.

“What can you tell us about Lady Grammayre?” Kaylin asked. Moran glanced at her guards.

“You may leave us,” she told them. They both stiffened and looked around the room. It was obvious that they considered three Baranni and a Dragon to be a serious threat to Moran, although, of course, the human wasn't worthy of attention. When Moran didn’t rescind her order, they forced their limbs to move. It looked hard.

“You’ll need to work on that,” Teela told Moran once the door shut, making the other woman sigh.

“They make such a fuss about me being _praevolo_ , you would think they would understand that I am exceedingly difficult to harm within the Aerie.”

“We were talking about Lady Grammayre,” Bellusdeo prompted after a moment.

“It was a political marriage, from what I understand,” Moran told them. Kaylin nodded, accepting that Moran would have been only passingly aware of Caste Court business at the time, although the thought of her Lord marrying for politics bothered her.

“How many years ago?” Teela questioned.

“Eighteen,” Moran answered.

“Any children?” Kaylin asked, because she honestly didn’t know. It struck her, then, that she could know so much about a person - about who they _were_ \- without knowing almost anything about their life.

“One. He takes after his mother.” Moran’s tone made it clear what she thought of that.

“Any affection between Lord and Lady Grammayre?” Kaylin questioned, making every Immortal turn to stare at her. “What?” Kaylin asked defensively. “It’s a reasonable question!”

“It was a political marriage, Lord Kaylin,” Lord Andellen replied, surprisingly gently, earning an interested look from Teela.

“So that means it’s impossible for there to be any affection between them?” Everyone in the room nodded, making Kaylin feel like a child again. Kaylin fought back the resentment that caused. “Why would the Hawklord marry politically?” Kaylin asked, because that was something she associated with people who only valued themselves. What could have pushed her Lord to make such a decision? Moran met her eyes and Kaylin could see before she spoke that she wasn’t going to like the answer.

“I believe there were serious objections to his involvement in the Hawks,” Moran said, causing Kaylin’s heart to freeze. “He wasn’t Hawklord at the time.”

“For _us?_ ” Kaylin asked. “He married someone he didn’t like for _us?_ ”

“You weren’t part of the Hawks, then,” Teela pointed out, as if that made it better. The others, thankfully, gave Kaylin a minute to accept the weight of her Lord’s choice. It was one she knew she could never make, and his sacrifice humbled her.

“What is this room normally?” Kaylin asked, looking around, trying to ground herself.

“Guests of note often wish to tidy themselves up after having been flown up,” Moran replied, eyeing Kaylin’s hair as she spoke. Kaylin winced and reached up.

“Should we tidy ourselves up?” Teela asked with a sharp smile. Moran coughed and Kaylin snorted.

“I don’t believe any of our Baranni guests are in need of ‘tidying up,’” Moran answered, “or our valued Dragon visitor.”

“And in Kaylin’s case, it wouldn’t help,” Teela tacked on, because someone needed to say it.

“Thank you, Teela,” Kaylin replied sarcastically, then shut her mouth because there was really nothing she could add to that. Her hair had escaped her sticks and was undoubtedly a disaster; Teela’s, of course, looked perfect. None of the Baranni looked like they had been buffeted in the wind, and Bellusdeo, having only shifted once she arrived, looked equally flawless. Kaylin grimaced; any vanity he might once possessed had died a _long_ time ago.

“I’ll send for Lady Grammayre,” Moran said, forcing them to stop picking on the human. At least for now. Teela nodded, and the five of them took positions around the room. Being the least threatening member of their party, Kaylin took the seat directly across from the desk while Teela and, to Kaylin’s surprise, Andellen flanked her. Tain observed Andellen from the corner, but didn’t comment. Working with Immortals had the advantage of never needing to take notes, since perfect memory made them superfluous. Kaylin, lacking this advantage, had trained hard to see like a Hawk.

Lady Grammayre, when she entered, was everything Kaylin associated with Caste Courts. Her hair and clothes were perfect. She wasn’t particularly tall - certainly not with three Baranni and a Dragon in the room - but she managed to look down on them anyway. Kaylin immediately tagged her as stupid, because _no one_ looked down on Immortals if they wanted to live.

“Lady Grammayre,” Kaylin began, struggling to keep her distaste out of her voice, “could you tell us why you mirrored Lord Grammayre urgently yesterday?”

“It’s personal,” she replied coldly. Kaylin struggled to keep her disbelief from showing.

“Lord Grammayre was nearly absorbed by Shadow yesterday,” Kaylin told her incredulously, “immediately after leaving you.” The woman simply nodded her head.

“I was, of course, informed.”

“The prime suspect in a murder investigation is a spouse,” Teela told her, earning a look from Kaylin because that didn’t really apply to cases involving Shadow. Or any magic, for that matter. “Given your actions yesterday, I would suggest it is in your best interest to cooperate fully with us.” Lady Grammayre stared at Teela for a long minute.

“I found out that our son had done something…unfortunate and called my husband to deal with it.”

“You couldn’t deal with it yourself?” Kaylin asked. Then again, the nobles in the human Caste Court weren’t famed for their competence, either.

“Grammayre is his father,” she said sharply. “He should deal with it himself.”

“What did your son do?” Teela asked. Lady Grammayre met her eyes, clearly debating her answer.

“He had an… unfortunate relationship with a girl.”

“He got someone pregnant,” Tain clarified, almost certainly for Kaylin’s sake.

“You called the Hawklord out of work, urgently, because your son got someone pregnant?” This woman made no sense. “You know that’s unlikely to change over the course of a few hours, right?”

“They aren’t married,” she almost hissed in reply. “They cannot _be_ married - she is completely unsuitable.” Kaylin thought then of Moran’s life as an illegitimate child in the Aerie.

“Who the hell cares?” The woman stared at her.

“I believe,” Teela cut in, before Kaylin found more words, “that your _praevolo_ was also born out of wedlock. Surely there can be no stigma to her birth?” Lady Grammayre stiffened.

“The _praevolo_ is, of course, not responsible for the circumstances of her birth.” Kaylin opened her mouth to reply, but Teela spoke first.

“Thank you for your time, Lady Grammayre. Once Lord Grammayre wakes, we will have him corroborate your account.” She stiffly excused herself and Kaylin was left staring at the door.

“Why would he marry her?”

“Kitling,” Teela began.

“No, seriously. Even if he had to marry for politics, surely he could have found someone better.”

“Political marriages are not made for people’s happiness,” Bellusdeo commented, and Kaylin cringed realizing who she had been speaking in front of.

“Sorry.” The Dragon shook her head.

“I did not take offence, Kaylin. The fact that you want your Lord to be happy speaks of your regard for him.” Before they could continue on the topic, Moran opened the door.

“Are you ready to speak to the witnesses?” Teela’s lips pursed in distaste.

“We might as well get this over with,” Tain suggested, sounding resigned. “The accounts won’t sound any better in an hour.” Teela looked at him and shrugged. They all knew that there was almost nothing in the world less accurate than a firsthand account of an event, but sometimes that was all they had. Kaylin grimaced and prepared to hear complete nonsense. What came out was different.

"I only looked up because the movement seemed wrong," one man told them.

"I saw him falter out of the corner of my eye," another said. "His movements seemed wrong." 

“I had just returned when I heard the commotion. When I turned around, I saw him struggling to reach the Aerie. His movements seemed wrong.” Kaylin had begun scowling at the second account. By the time the last of them - there had been six - left, Kaylin was so angry she couldn’t move.

“They’re _lying_ ,” she growled.

“Who doesn’t?” Teela asked, all Baranni. But Kaylin didn’t have the patience for that today.

“Our Lord was almost devoured by Shadows and they’re _lying_.”

“It’s not a crime, Kitling,” Tain commented.

“Obstructing an investigation is a crime,” Kaylin countered. “According to-”

“Do _not_ site the Laws to us, Kitling,” Teela interrupted. “I know them better than you, anyway. And there are a few ways their memories could have been magically altered.”

“I didn’t sense any magic on them,” Kaylin objected, “or see a sigil.”

“Once the memories had been altered, they could have removed the magic,” Teela offered, “although if even you didn’t spot the caster’s signature, it’s more likely that they're lying.”

“Whoever is involved doesn’t know shit about investigations,” Kaylin commented. Teela and Bellusdeo snorted in agreement. 

“I’ve only been following you around for a few months and even I can identify this as an armature mistake,” the Dragon agreed.

“An assassin with the ability to manipulate Shadows, but no common sense?” Tain surmised. “Probably an Arcanist.”

“As much as I like blaming everything on the Arcanists,” Kaylin began, “we should include the Imperial Mages, too.” Everyone, excluding Andellen, turned to stare at Kaylin.

“Kitling, that was almost mature. Wrong, of course, but mature.” Kaylin grimaced. Honestly, Teela was _always_ going to think of her as a child.

“Why can’t it be an Imperial Mage?”

“Because the Imperial Mages are closely monitored and the Emperor would not allow someone to experiment with Shadow in the heart of his hoard.” Kaylin had to accept, given the way Dragons reacted to a threat to their hoard, that Teela was most likely correct. Kaylin grimaced. Teela fell silent and looked at the door, which was Teela speak for ‘someone’s coming’. Kaylin shut up. The door opened and the Aerian who had been accompanying Moran yesterday stepped in.

“Please have a seat,” Kaylin greeted, hoping that he had been with Moran the day before because he wasn’t prone to bouts of lying. “What’s your name?”

“I am Declan, of the Eastern Flight. Praevolo Moran asked me to testify today.”

“Can you tell us when you first became aware that something had happened to Lord Grammayre?”

“I was working on a very delicate spell, when the magical resonance was disturbed and the spell was shattered. I planned to head to the Halls of Law to inform Praevolo Moran of the potential incursion in our territory when I saw Lord Grammayre fall from the sky.” Kaylin had never heard it used as a title before, and wondered if he was the only one doing so, or if that was the correct form of address for Moran now. Since Clint wasn’t using it, she assumed it was just Declan.

“You couldn’t just mirror her?”

“Mirrors are not secure, and I was not willing to have the message intercepted.”

“What did you do when you saw Lord Grammayre fall?”

“I flew out and caught him,” was the response. Meaning this Arcanist had saved their Lord’s life. Kaylin grimaced, never a fan of owing an Arcanist.

“Thank you for saving Lord Grammayre,” Kaylin said, and she knew without looking that Teela was staring at her in blue-eyed irritation. To her surprise, the Arcanist shrugged.

“Someone had to do it.” Teela’s laughter broke the silence.

“There were six other witnesses, that we are aware of, and not one of them moved to save Lord Grammayre.” The man in front of them looked a little shocked at the prospect.

“Here’s something new, Teela,” Tain drawled from his spot in the corner, “a naive Arcanist.”

“I am not naive!” He protested, making even Kaylin feel a little bad for him. She cleared her throat and went back to questioning him; being a source of Immortal amusement was never fun.

“Once you caught Lord Grammayre, what did you do?”

“I returned to the Aerie. By this point, Praevolo Moran had been notified, and arrived shortly, accompanied by Hawks. I then escorted her to the Baranni High Court where you healed him.” Kaylin wondered when the Baranni Hawks had attached themselves to Moran, but she could ask later.

“Thank you for your co-operation,” she said, instead. “We will contact you if we have any further questions.” He stood up, then paused, looking at her face.

“I had never imagined someone could heal him in that condition.” It was Kaylin’s turn to shrug.

“If I didn’t know the person well, I wouldn’t have been able to.” After holding her eyes one more moment, he nodded and left. Kaylin frowned after him.

“He’s a really weird Arcanist,” she commented.

“Is there a normal Arcanist?” Bellusdeo asked. Kaylin nodded, distracted.

“Arrogant, powerful, manipulative-”

“Kitling,” Teela interrupted pointedly. “Since there is the possibility of someone listening in on this conversation-” Kaylin opened her mouth in protest, “not a large one, but a possibility - let us try not to have you make any more enemies than you already have. My schedule’s full.” Kaylin snorted, but subsided.

“If there’s nothing more to be gained here, I believe you intended to examine the location of the attack?” Andellen commented, drawing Kaylin’s attention. She nodded and pushed to her feet.

“Let’s go.”

“I’ll lead,” Teela said, stepping in front, “so that we make it to the exit today.” Kaylin scowled, but let her take point.


	10. Chapter 10

Moran met them, blue-eyed, but without a guard, in the landing area. Kaylin wondered what it had taken to convince her guards to let her speak to the Hawks alone. Given how unhappy they were leaving earlier, she could only imagine they were even more vocal without witnesses. But then, Moran hadn’t ruled the infirmary for so many years without being able to handle irrational tempers. Even _Marcus_ listened to Moran when she was in a mood.

“Moran,” Teela asked, looking out from the edge of the landing pad, as if she wasn’t standing on the edge of a precipice, “how many Aeries have a line of sight to the location of the attack?”

“You’re thinking someone cast the spell on the Hawklord from an Aerie?” Kaylin interrupted. That would almost certainly make the attacker an Aerian, since someone from another race passing unnoticed through these halls just wasn’t in the cards; _somebody_ would have seen them.

“It’s that or the ground,” Teela pointed out. “If there were any magical signatures in here, you’d be complaining by now.”

“Could this have been a spell keyed to the Hawklord and then set off?” Teela raised a brow in approval.

“Ordinarily it would be a possibility,” she acknowledged, “but the timeframe here is small. If it had been keyed to the Hawklord, then it would have had to be placed after his arrival.”

“Or he would have triggered it coming in,” Kaylin mused.

“A spell like that is not suited to Shadow,” Bellusdeo informed them, earning the undivided attention of all three Baranni present. “Because the spell has to wait, it has the opportunity to warp itself before it comes into effect. Shadow spells are most effectively used immediately.”

“So we’re assuming the assailant was in or around the Aerie,” Kaylin reasoned, thinking out loud. She walked to the edge of the landing pad - nowhere near as close as Teela had been - and looked out. “There’s some cover near the bottom of the Aerie, but approaching this it’s just flat, open plains.” The city could be seen, but not well. At least with human eyes. The Immortals could probably still spot the damn lice on people’s heads.

“I would say that the probability of an Aerian being the culprit is high,” Teela told Moran, “if not for the fact that you only have two Arcanists. The fact that our all of witnesses, excluding your Arcanist, were all lying would support the possibility that someone from another race was present and convinced them to lie to hide the fact.” Moran narrowed her eyes.

“They were lying?”

“Yeah, word for word. Someone coached them,” Teela informed her.

“I’ll have a word with them,” she assured them, her eyes a hard blue.

“Sorry,” Kaylin said, giving up her count and turning to the Aerian Hawk, “how many Aeries did you say had a view of where the Hawklord was attacked?”

“I was interrupted before I could say,” Moran replied pointedly, making Kaylin flush. “There are two hundred and six Aeries that would have given the attacker a reasonable view of the Hawklord.” Kaylin grimaced at the answer. Examining two hundred and six Aeries for magical traces would take for-bloody- _ever_. She wanted the Hawklord’s attacker caught _now_. “When I arrived, one hundred and twelve of them were occupied.”

“How do you know?” Kaylin asked.

“I am aware of everything that occurs within the Aerie,” Moran reminded her. Kaylin tried to wrap her mind around that and couldn’t. Her head was busy enough without tracking a whole bloody Aerie in it.

“But only when you’re present, right?” She confirmed. The Aerian Hawk nodded. “What are the odds that someone got Lady Grammayre to contact the Hawklord so that he could be attacked while you were at work?”

“I’m not sure,” Moran admitted. “I don’t believe there’s any love lost between Lord Grammayre and his wife, but people are aware of my regard for Lord Grammayre. If he had been killed, Lady Grammayre’s position in Court would likely have dropped.” Kaylin grimaced. Not conspiring to kill your husband because of how it would impact your position in society did not sit well with Kaylin. Politics were the bane of her existence.

“That’s not to say that someone aware of Lady Grammayre’s personality couldn’t have insured she learned about her son’s indiscretion at a suitable time,” Tain reasoned. Which would have made Lady Grammayre an unwilling accomplice. Normally, when Kaylin didn’t like someone, she was perfectly happy to have a reason to arrest them, but the thought of the Hawklord’s own wife being involved in the assassination attempt made her ill.

“Getting back on track,” Bellusdeo said, “this means that there are ninety-four Aeries someone could have broken into to launch the attack, assuming no one moved between the time of the attack and the time of your arrival.”

“Did anyone report a break-in over the last twenty four hours?” Teela asked.

“No.”

“Let’s start by examining the ground,” Teela decided, walking over to Kaylin to poke small and squawky. He opened an eye and glared at her, but after a moment jumped from Kaylin’s shoulders. Watching him go from something so small to so big always surprised Kaylin, but she hopped on as soon as he was fully shifted, letting Teela settle behind her. 

“Are you coming, Moran?” Kaylin asked. Moran shook her head regretfully. 

“Someone needs to babysit these idiots before they get themselves into more trouble,” she answered, making Kaylin wince in sympathy. For the guards. 

“It’s nowhere near as bad as babysitting Kaylin,” Tain assured her, making Kaylin snap her neck around to look at him in outrage.

“I don’t need a babysitter!”

“Yes, you do,” three Immortal voices answered in unison. Kaylin wilted, ignoring her familiar’s hissing laugh. The only one on her side was Andellen. After one final wave to Moran, whose eyes were no longer _quite_ Baranni blue, they dove off the edge of the landing pad. Flying straight down on dragonback was never going to be Kaylin’s favourite activity, but her discomfort was ignored as she spotted a splash of colour on the surface.

“There!” Kaylin shouted. Her familiar and Bellusdeo followed her pointing to the ground. Kaylin hopped off, not even waiting for Hope to touch down and was vaguely aware of the Baranni doing the same. She flinched when Teela cast her spell, but continued examining the ground.

“Does that look like someone spilled water on it to you?” Kaylin asked.

“If you mean do I believe the sigil to be deformed, then yes, Kitling, I do.”

“That’s expected of anyone casting Shadow,” Bellusdeo pointed out. Kaylin nodded, surprised the mark wasn’t bigger. Before she could get there, Andellen called out from a short distance away, near the base of the Aerie.

“Lord Kaylin,” he said, causing her head to snap around. “I have found something.” Everyone moved to where he was.

“Mirror?” Kaylin asked, squatting down to look at the shards scattered across the ground. Andellen nodded. Kaylin frowned in thought. “Nightshade has a mirror he can travel through. Is it possible the assailant used this mirror to escape?”

“Those mirrors are not easily transported,” Teela told her, which wasn’t a no.

“If someone brought a mirror here, this was premeditated,” Tain pointed out, which wasn’t really a surprise; an assassination attempt with Shadow magic hardly shouted ‘spontaneous’, but they all understood that knowing it and proving it were two different things.

“Do you think he had an accomplice?” Kaylin asked Teela.

“What makes you think that?”

“If the mirror needed to be brought here and set up-” Kaylin hesitated over that, but continued once Teela nodded, “how did no one see him?” She looked around trying to evaluate which Aeries would have had the assailant in their line of sight.

“It’s not a bad spot, considering,” Teela said, moving to stand beside her. “In as much as there’s any natural shelter, there is a protrusion here. And even Aerians aren’t going to stand at the edge of their Aeries and look straight down.”

“Wait a minute, if the assailant went through the mirror, doesn’t that mean someone had to break it after they left?”

“Yes,” Bellusdeo agreed, not sounding pleased. Then again, they were investigating an attempted assassination on the Hawklord, so no one was precisely happy.

“Meaning that the accomplice would still have been here when Moran returned,” Teela said, probably to make sure Kaylin didn’t miss the implications of the broken mirror. Kaylin grimaced. She _got it_.

“So we have an Aerian accomplice,” Kaylin summarized, “and an assassin of unknown origins.” She felt something small die in her at the thought of an Aerian trying to assassinate her lord. She’d only recently realized how much she had idolized the Aerians, and news like this still stung.

“Baranni,” Teela clarified, because magic and Baranni were almost the same to Teela.

“So what’s our next step?” Kaylin asked. They could scour the ground all day, but people didn’t exactly walk to the Aerie, so they were hardly likely to find footprints.

“Lord Kaylin,” Andellen commented, drawing her attention, “am I correct in assuming that if the mirror had been here for an extended period, someone would have spotted it?” Kaylin nodded, frowning. Andellen didn’t say anything else, so she was forced to connect the dots on her own.

“I don’t think the Aerians keep extensive Records, but let’s see what we can find about who’s been here recently and who may have brought the mirror to the Aerie.” 

Kaylin was thankful her familiar hadn’t bothered shrinking considering they were getting right back on. She clambered back on, her thighs slightly sore from all the flying - she wasn’t used to it after all - and was regretting not asking Clint to join them so her could carry her around. Aerian flight was so much more comfortable for the passenger. Not that anyone else seemed to be having a problem: maybe sore legs was a mortal thing. They landed on the pad to find Moran re-entering.

“I won’t ask what you found,” Moran said before Kaylin could open her mouth, “in case I am required as an impartial arbitrator.” Which was fair, although it hadn’t occurred to Kaylin. As Castelord, any Caste Court disputes would be settled by Moran and until they knew for certain who was responsible, it was better not to impair her judgement.

“Do you have Records of who has arrived here?” Kaylin asked. “We probably only need the last twenty-four hours or so.” Moran raised both brows, but nodded.

“I will send the information directly to Helen,” Moran assured them. After a moment, she added, “what are you doing Kaylin?”

“Trying to get the feeling back in my legs,” Kaylin replied, as she continued to rub her thighs.

_I could not carry you_ , her familiar offered, sounding very unamused. Kaylin sighed and took a moment.

“I apologize,” she told him. “I’m sore and upset about the Hawklord. I appreciate you carrying us up.” He looked at her a long moment before nodding in acceptance.

“So I gather you’re attending a ball in a few days,” Moran said, raising a brow. Teela spun around to face Kaylin.

“You’re _what?_ ” She demanded. “Who the hell thought having _you_ attend a bloody _ball_ was a _good_ idea?”

“The Emperor, apparently,” Bellusdeo replied, before Kaylin could try to defend herself. Teela let loose a volley of Leontine that impressed even Kaylin.

“Look,” she said, trying to be reasonable, “it’s not that bad-”

“Not that _bad?_ ” Teela almost shrieked. “Do you remember that time we tried to take you dancing - not an Imperial ball, just some casual human dancing - and you broke that guy’s leg?” Andellen made a muffled noise and Kaylin looked over to see his eyes bright green as he tried to restrain his laughter. “Or there was that time-”

“We get it, Teela,” Kaylin cut in quickly, because she was fairly certain she knew which story was next and she really didn’t want it told in company. Or ever. “Look, I’m taking dance lessons with Nightshade-”

“Lord Nightshade,” Andellen corrected, although why he still bothered was a mystery to Kaylin.

“-and I’ll figure something out for the ball.” The something occurred to her. “Annarion knows all about this. Why didn’t he tell you?” Watching Teela’s eyes darken, Kaylin wanted to take the question back. Looking at Teela’s expression, Kaylin would have suspected that Annarion was evading the question, except he was, well, Annarion.

“Let’s go home and take a look at the Records,” Kaylin suggested, not wanting to pursue this topic any further. She knew by the time they landed that Moran would have gotten them the information they needed. With one last hug for Moran, Kaylin got up on Hope, being careful not to groan as she forced her muscles to move. Teela gracefully leapt up behind Kaylin and once Bellusdeo’s passengers were settled - which took seconds, because they were bloody Baranni - they took off.

The flight home was quiet - meaning Teela was quiet and Kaylin couldn’t hear anything anyone else might have said over the sound of the wind - so it was a relief when they landed. Kaylin knew Teela’s silences, and this brooding contemplation did not blonde well for her. It wasn’t a variety of anger that would have her ducking behind the nearest wall, but it wasn’t fun.

“Um, Teela?” Kaylin said tentatively while the others sorted themselves out and, after a quick glance at the three of them, were herded inside by Helen. The familiar settled back on Kaylin’s shoulders and she ignored her aching legs in favour of watching Teela. She couldn’t ask Teela what was wrong - you just don’t _do_ that, to the Baranni - but knew her face would say enough.

“I should have known about the ball,” Teela answered, clearly irritated. “Especially since you and Bellusdeo will be attending.”

“Why? I mean, it’s Dragon stuff, so why does it matter? Apart from the dancing.” Because she expected Teela to find the idea of Kaylin humiliating herself in public funny. The Baranni had the _worst_ sense of humour.

“Kaylin, you will be meeting with those who pass for powerful amongst the Human Caste Court. Including the Castelord.” Kaylin froze as her brain shuddered to a halt.

“My… father will be there.” That was _not_ a good thought. Kaylin hadn’t had time to consider how she felt about the man who had driven her mother to an early grave in the fief. If she met him now, she’d probably draw blood. Or punch him, at the very least. Even she knew that was all kinds of bad etiquette.

“I take it the Dragons aren’t aware of your relationship to the Castelord.”

“Bellusdeo is,” Kaylin replied vaguely, still lost in thought.

“There’s no way you can fail to attend,” Teela pointed out, knowing that was Kaylin’s first reaction, “so I will attend with you.”

“Can you?” Kaylin asked, because she trusted Teela, especially when it came to politics. Kaylin gave her a smile that was all teeth. It was only the fact that she had known Teela for years that prevented her from taking a step back.

“I’m hurt I haven’t been invited yet. Let’s go inside and I’ll chat with Annarion then we can check the Records.” Kaylin winced for Annarion, but nodded and trailed after her.

“Um, Teela,” she said, causing the Baranni to glance back at her. “Thanks.”

“You’ll owe me drinks, after,” Teela assured her, the blue in her eyes lightening.

“Teela I know how much you can drink!” Kaylin protested, stepping through the doorway.


	11. Chapter 11

Having rudimentary Records meant, as Kaylin quickly learned, that they were not coded the way the ones she usually worked with were. Which meant they were stuck watching the landing pad going backwards in time from the time of the attack as they tried to spot someone carrying a large mirror into the Aerie. They quickly learned to identify the guards’ weapons and the unusual ways Aerian wings could cast shadows. 

“There’s _got_ to be a better way of doing this,” Kaylin muttered, her eyes blearily glued to the mirror. She wasn’t sure how many hours they’d spent watching the Aerians walk backwards, but even one was one too many. Her familiar apparently agreed as he was actually snoring.

“Not a single stabbing,” Tain drawled. “Even accepting that boredom is inevitable, this seems a tad excessive.” Kaylin snorted. Only a damn Baranni would think of a lack of violence as a problem.

“Lord Kaylin,” Andellen said.

“Yes,” she replied, not taking her eyes off the mirror. It would just figure if the moment she looked away was the one moment she needed to see.

“I believe that you are due shortly at the Castle for further instruction in ballroom dancing with my lord.” Kaylin made a face, but compared to watching this, that almost sounded like a good thing.

“I have some things to attend to, as well,” Teela commented, which was apparently a cue for everyone to break up. “Halt Records,” she commanded, getting to her feet. “We’ll meet you here tomorrow, Kitling.” Bellusdeo headed to the palace - evidently she had her own dance classes to attend and she was surprisingly gold-eyed about it. Kaylin made a note to ask her about it later. Teela and Tain headed in exactly the wrong direction when they stepped out, which meant that Teela was headed to the High Court. Kaylin grimaced, but kept the words to herself. Andellen walked beside Kaylin in silence, and Kaylin found it odd how easily he fit in. Having one of Nightshade’s top people working with the Hawks on a case was almost uncanny.

“Thanks for your help today,” Kaylin eventually said as they crossed over they Albayne. This earned her a glance.

“I am here to assist you, Lord Kaylin,” he replied seriously. “Although from what I heard about your dancing from Lord An’Teela, I am now concerned about the safety of my own lord.” Kaylin spluttered next to him.

“That was _years_ ago,” she told him, before reminding herself that to the Baranni, her whole damn life was a matter of just a few years. His very green eyes met hers and she realized that he was almost smiling. The warmth slid off his face moments before the sounds of a fight reached Kaylin’s ears.

“Forgive me, Lord Kaylin,” he said stepping ahead of so that he was between her and any likely danger. Kaylin frowned at his back.

“If you’re trying to protect me…” Kaylin began ominously. Considering the Baranni attitude towards weakness, implying she needed protection from some street toughs would be very insulting. And since all Baranni were regularly insulting, that was really saying something.

“I mean no disrespect, Lord Kaylin,” he immediately assured her. “I simply do not want anyone interested in challenging my lord to gain the mistaken impression that targeting you would be wise.”

“Why would they target me?” Kaylin asked, almost making Andellen stumble. Normally she took pleasure in shocking the Baranni of her acquaintance, but that was only when she did it on purpose. She had _no idea_ what she’d done this time. 

“My Lord was seen with you in public only a couple days ago,” he replied as they drew up to the fight, “and while I admit to not being an expert in human behaviour, I strongly suspect that word of your relationship with him will have traveled.” Kaylin found herself blushing at the way Andellen said that. 

Ripples of silence spread as they arrived on the scene, until the combatants themselves noticed. Any bets changed as people pressed up against the walls of the buildings in an effort to stay as far away from her and Andellen as they could, while still watching the show. Both of the fighters had swords. Not surprising in the case of the guard, but the challenger must be well connected if he was able to get one in decent condition. The combatants disengaged and each took a few steps back. They were both injured, but Kaylin couldn’t help but think of the challenger as stupid for trying to take down Nightshade. Especially if the mere sight of a Baranni caused him to back off; he wouldn’t know Andellen was a power in his own right amongst the Baranni. “Is there a difficulty?” Andellen asked the bleeding guard in Elantran.

“He thinks he can take down Lord Nightshade!” The man growled angrily. It almost sounded like loyalty. Small and squawky lazily opened one eye to observe the surroundings before closing it again, apparently content to continue napping. “I’ve got it.” At least the guard didn’t ask for Andellen for help. Then again, in this part of the fief, asking for help from a Baranni against a human was an invitation for a knife in the ribs, so it made sense. Andellen went to move forward, ignoring both combatants, when the challenger opened his mouth.

“Hey,” he said, glancing at Kaylin’s cheek, before leering at her, “I heard that girl is Nightshade’s-” Whatever he was about to call her was destined to remain unsaid as Andellen slid his sword through the man’s ribs and punctured his heart. The man’s eyes widened in shock as he coughed blood and collapsed on himself.

“Disrespect towards Lord Kaylin, Lord Nightshade’s Erenne, will not be tolerated,” Andellen announced coldly. His voice carried clearly across the street. He nodded slightly at the frozen guard; no one had had the opportunity to move given the speed his attack. “Lord Kaylin,” the Baranni Lord said, turning back to her with a bow, “I do not believe we will be further interrupted.” Kaylin nodded and forced herself to step past the body, reminding herself that by challenging Nightshade then man had signed his own death warrant. Insulting her had only brought it sooner. They walked in silence for a few minutes. “Did my actions offend you?” Andellen asked, apparently curious, as they got their first clear view of the Castle.

“…No,” Kaylin replied.

“Then I don’t understand your mood,” he replied with a thoughtful frown. Kaylin glanced at him, reminded, once again, at how unusual he was. He was observing carefully. Baranni typically treated people’s moods as irrelevant at best or insulting on the worst. Teela would have been despairing over Kaylin’s sentimental nature if she’d been present.

“It’s not very often I’m the reason someone dies,” she told him quietly.

“You’re not responsible for my actions, Lord Kaylin,” he answered, stopping and turning to face her fully. His eyes had shaded towards blue and Kaylin cringed, knowing that her taking responsibility for someone else's actions would be insulting to any Baranni. “I took offence at his intent and dealt with the matter as I saw fit. There is nothing for you to blame yourself over.” Kaylin nodded, because she _knew_ all that.

“I know, but you would have let the guard handle it if not for me. And I didn’t mean to offend you.” At that, Andellen shrugged.

“Does it matter? Whether he died by my hand or the guard’s, he would have died today. And I am aware, Lord Kaylin. I have taken no offence.” Kaylin took a deep breath and nodded.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Andellen shook his head, making his hair ripple around his shoulders.

“You are a healer of legendary skill, Lord Kaylin. It is, perhaps, inevitable that you are more compassionate than those around you deserve.” Kaylin tried to smile at him.

“I really don’t think that’s it.” Before Kaylin could continue down that path - if she even wanted to - the doors shimmered and Nightshade stepped through. Kaylin hated - _hated_ \- the way words died on her lips and her throat dried up as she watched him approach, the green-eyed bastard.

“ _Erenne_ ,” he greeted, reaching out to cup her face and brush his lips across hers. Kaylin held very still, but couldn’t do anything about the blush staining her cheeks. “Lord Andellen,” he added, as his liege bowed deeply, “thank you for escorting my _Erenne_.”

“It was my honour, Lord.” Nightshade simply nodded in acknowledgement, before turning and offering Kaylin his arm. Kaylin glanced at the portal, and accepted it with a sigh. Her familiar woke up enough to peer at Nightshade before settling himself back on Kaylin’s shoulders. Kaylin wondered if being in his large form and flying them around had drained him.

“Before we dine,” Nightshade began, which made Kaylin instantly suspicious, “I have brought tailors in to finalize your dress for the ball.” Kaylin stumbled.

“ _What?!_ You’ve given me like a hundred dresses and somehow I need a _new_ one for the bloody ball?” She stood, staring at him in patent disbelief.

“I’ve given you twenty-two dresses,” he corrected cooly, his eyes taking on a hint of blue, “none of which were tailored to your body-”

“They fit perfectly!” Kaylin objected. That was one of the really disturbing things about them; that he knew her measurements, better, if she were perfectly frank, than she did.

“and while they are appropriate for us in the Castle, none of them are suitable for an Imperial Ball.” Kaylin gaped at him.

“Are you _serious?_ ” He raised a perfect brow in response.

“I am usually, as you say, serious, Kaylin.”

“But they’re _gorgeous_. What’s wrong with them?” He smiled at her and steered her towards the portal.

“I wasn’t aware you liked them so much.” Kaylin flushed, but didn’t take back her words. They were beautiful. It’s just that they were also, fancy, expensive, and completely foreign to Kaylin. “I will be certain to add to their numbers, now that I’m aware.” Before Kaylin could find the words to stop him, he led her through the portal. The trip through the portal was never fun, but it was the presence of four Baranni, two men and two women, that prevented Kaylin from continuing the discussion. Nightshade led her past them, failing entirely to acknowledge them, which made Kaylin feel all kinds of awkward. If they were bothered by serving a human, it didn’t show.

_Of course not_ , Nightshade told her. _I would never have servants so lacking attend you._ Considering most Baranni had lived through an age where humans were nothing more than well trained pets, she considered their distain inevitable. The group of six - seven with the sleepy familiar - made it to the room Nightshade insisted on calling hers in silence where a new dress was hung. It was purple and if Kaylin rarely took the time to examine the mark on her cheek, she was nonetheless aware that the dress was exactly the same colour as the mark. She opened her mouth to object when the lace sleeves -and there were sleeves - caught her eye. There were…hawks. The lace for the sleeves was made up of delicate, soaring hawks. She absently let go of the fieflord's arm and approached the dress with near reverence. 

“Thank you,” she said softly, her finger hovering over the design. “It’s beautiful.” She tried to keep her voice even and knew she couldn’t turn around because her eyes were filled with tears. Nightshade came up behind, her, shielding her from his servants’ view and took her in his arms. She buried her face in his robes and fought to get control of herself, as the first tears spilled down her cheeks. She had never, ever received a gift she valued so much. With her lord’s injured form so fresh in her mind, the reminder that she would always be, wherever she went, a Hawk, steadied her. _Thank you_ , she repeated, taking a deep breath and pulling back. He cupped her cheeks and wiped the evidence of her tears from her eyes. His eyes were a dark, perfect green when he brushed his lips across hers. She didn’t even want to fight it.

“You’re welcome.” He stepped back and motioned the servants forward.

“Lord Kaylin, please allow us to help you into your dress.” Kaylin tried not to flinch at the woman’s words, but she was so not a fan of standing naked in front of a handful of Baranni. She swallowed, instead.

“…right.” She glanced at Nightshade, hoping he’d leave, but he simply raised a brow and took a seat in the corner to observe the proceedings. A poke at her familiar had him rising from her shoulder and gliding to curl up on the bed after he bit her finger in retaliation. Telling herself that the faster she did this, the father it was over, Kaylin stripped out of the new clothes Nightshade had provided and reached for the dress. Flawless Baranni hands got there first.

“You’ll need to wear these undergarments,” the Baranni woman said.

“You’re _joking_ ,” Kaylin objected, before wincing. “Dammit. I can’t just call you you, what would you like me to call you?”

“…Lenora.”

“Alright, Lenora,” Kaylin said with forced patience, “you’re telling me that I can’t wear my own underwear with the dress?” She nodded, cautiously blue-eyed. “Why the hells not?”

“The undergarments we have will not show the seams.”

“And mine will,” Kaylin surmised. It figured that here was a catch to a dress this beautiful. The woman simply nodded again. Kaylin took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. She’d fought Shadows and bloody Dragons, she could put on a damn dress.

“Alright.” 

It took two of the Baranni assistants and a lot of wiggling to get it on. Kaylin couldn’t help but feel terribly exposed with the low neckline, but a stern look from Nightshade had her forcing her hands to her sides. She focused on her sleeves, instead. She was terrified she was going to damage the damn thing. Once on, however, Kaylin had perfect freedom of movement; at Nightshade’s insistence, she did a flip, just to check.

“Do you think I’ll need to fight?” She asked him. He smiled cooly at her.

“Given your incomparable ability to find danger in otherwise innocuous situations, it seems a distinct possibility.” Kaylin gaped at him.

“That’s not my fault! These things just happen!” A fine brow rose.

“These things do not ‘just happen’ to others, therefore, when the common element is you, it is reasonable to assume it is, in fact, your fault.” Kaylin was left spluttering. There was absolutely _no way_ the recent chaos had been her fault. “I did not, however, suggest that you test the dress for that purpose. If you are overly concerned about the dress, any effort I put into instructing you in dance will be wasted.”

“…I’ve told you that I don’t have the best track record with clothes, right?” Nightshade shrugged.

“They are clothes, Kaylin. Their loss or preservation means little to me.” Tracing her fingers across the hawks on her sleeves, she spoke softly.

“It would mean something to me.”

“Ah,” he replied. “That is a different issue.” When neither of them said any more, Lenora stepped forward again.

“With your permission, Lord Kaylin, we will now begin the final measurements.” Kaylin thought her permission was pretty much irrelevant considering they worked for Nightshade and he was sitting in the damn room, but nodded anyway. It was only as they gracefully moved around her, touching her gently, and rearranging the fall of the fabric that Kaylin remembered she was wearing a deadly Elemental necklace. It was a miracle no one had touched it.

“Be carefully not to touch my necklace,” Kaylin warned, earning four Baranni stares.

“We would never recklessly touch an object so obviously magical in nature,” Lenora replied, making Kaylin grimace. A glance at Nightshade earned her a teasing smile.

“Of course you wouldn’t,” Kaylin said dejectedly. She ran her fingers along the stones representing each of the Elements. “Nightshade,” she said, “can we find some way to hide the necklace?”

“The deep v-neck suits you,” he told her, before she could suggest raising the front to cover it, “I would suggest a scarf, if you insist on covering the Keeper’s gift.”

“Why wouldn't I?” Kaylin asked. He raised a brow.

“Being able to wear that necklace marks you as a power who happens to be in the Keeper’s favour. Anyone of note at the ball would pay attention to you.” Kaylin nearly shuddered.

“We _need_ a scarf,” she told Lenora firmly, who simply nodded. 

“Yes, Lord Kaylin.”


	12. Chapter 12

Kaylin was sitting at the dinner table in yet _another_ dress with a spread of unidentifiable, but very appetizing smelling food in front of her. She poked at a couple of the dishes - she thought one might be eggs - but her stomach rumbled and she loaded her plate. 

“You could have left you know,” Kaylin told the fieflord, still embarrassed about changing in front of him. She’d been naked, dammit.

“I could have,” he agreed, obviously amused, “but I find I am jealous of your time.” Of course he was.

“You wouldn’t say that if you’d been watching the damn Records with us today,” she assured him after swallowing her first bite. Whatever she was eating was damn good. She took his raised brow as an invitation to continue. “The Aerie doesn’t have coding for their Records.”

“Ah,” he murmured. “I can see that might make your job more time consuming.” Kaylin nodded vigorously.

“I’m not Baranni, and even I was bored stupid.” He smiled sharply at her.

“While I am certain that the Baranni of your acquaintance will acknowledge being bored, they would likely take issue with your use of the term ‘stupid’.” Kaylin cringed at the thought of Teela’s reaction.

“Right.”

“From your demeanour I take it you found nothing of interest?” Kaylin shook her head around a mouthful of food. “I have begun my own inquiries. When I have any pertinent information, I will be certain to apprise you of it.” Kaylin nodded in acknowledgment, currently more interested in determining what she was eating.

“I take it the food is to your liking?” Nightshade questioned, earning a very flat look. He already knew the answer to that, why bother asking? “Manners,” he answered, “which will be crucial where you are going.” Kaylin grimaced at the reminder. If she wasn’t allowed to talk with her mouthful and kept her mouthful, she would be able to avoid speaking entirely. Nightshade chuckled - at her expense, of course - but allowed the dinner to lapse into silence. When Kaylin was finished, she leaned back in her chair with a sigh.

“Alright,” she said, meeting his eyes. “Let’s get this over with.”

“That is possibly the least graciously someone has ever accepted a dance with me,” he informed her, making her flush. She could well imagine people of every race being eager to dance with him. He pushed his chair back, and stood. She didn’t see him rush, but by the time she was on her feet, he was at her elbow, offering his arm. Kaylin took it. “Perhaps, you could also tell me what’s wrong with your legs.” Damn. She had been hoping he wouldn’t notice. 

“Um,” she began, earning another perfectly raised brow.

“I am certain I would be aware had you been involved in a fight. I am, therefore, at a loss as to how you might have been injured.”

“It’s not really an injury…” Kaylin explained haltingly, glancing down at her familiar; he bit her ear in retaliation. Nightshade was watching them with a frown. “You see, we needed to fly to the Aerie, so he-” she indicated the familiar sprawled over her shoulders with her chin, “shifted and carried us.” Nightshade looked at her as if trying to work out this could possibly impact her walking before he smiled sharply in realization.

“Is it possible you’re sore from that?” He asked, visibly amused. Kaylin considered in a rhetorical question at this point, but was distracted regardless when she felt hands slide up her thighs. She froze and met his eyes. He hadn’t moved, but the invisible hands began massaging her sore thigh muscles. Kaylin’s eyes fluttered shut. She couldn’t help it; for the first time in hours, she wasn’t aching. The massage was a revelation to her; she had never truly considered the fact that her body could provide her with pleasure. The fact that there was a state other than In Pain and Not In Pain was something she would address when hands weren’t unknotting tense muscles. She wasn’t sure how long they stood, arms linked as the invisible hands rubbed her thighs, but eventually she opened her eyes.

“Thank you,” she murmured. He nodded, and turned to continue along the corridor as if nothing had happened. Kaylin, however, was watching him. After a moment he glanced down to meet her eyes.

“Is there a problem?”

“You’re being very nice,” she replied, but even her usual suspicion seemed out of reach.

“And that concerns you?”

“Yes,” she answered. “You never do anything without a reason and I have no idea what you’re up to this time.”

“I am, I believe, courting you,” he answered, clearly amused when she blushed brightly. _There_ was a term she had never associated with the fieflord.

“But why?” Kaylin asked as they approached the throne room doors, unwilling to address the topic more directly. He led her into the room before turning to face her.

“I did not mark you idly, Kaylin. I intend for you to be _Erenne_ to me.” Kaylin swallowed hard as she met his eyes. 

“I’m not sure… After Barren…” Even speaking the name was hard and Nightshade’s eyes went from green to nearly black in record time.

“I regret not killing him,” he told her, “and I am not fond of regrets.” Kaylin started as invisible hands began rubbing her shoulders and back. “But I believe that you are more capable of healing than you realize.” As if to demonstrate his point, he cupped her face and kissed her. This was no light brush of lips. When his tongue traced her lips she opened her mouth, allowing him to explore. Kaylin was panting slightly - and blushing heavily - when they drew apart. She noticed that again he had been careful to keep space between him, although the hands massaging her back had never faltered.

“Dancing,” Kaylin croaked, her voice cracking slightly as she tried to distract herself from dangerous thoughts. Nightshade, looking too damn pleased with himself for Kaylin’s liking, nodded and stepped back. He gestured and the memory crystal filled the room with music. Taking a deep breath, Kaylin took her place and began. It didn’t take long for Kaylin to realize they weren’t making any progress. Kaylin wanted to give up, but that wasn’t in the cards unless she wanted to be a Dragon’s snack. Feeling the weight of Nightshade’s gaze, Kaylin turned to meet his now blue eyes.

“You understand that I mean you no harm?” Kaylin nodded. A year ago she would have found the concept unthinkable; now it was fact. “There is no guarantee those who ask you to dance will be equally well intentioned.” Well intentioned seemed like a bit of a stretch for the fieflord, but Kaylin nodded anyways. “You will be a new face and while Lord Bellusdeo,” Kaylin cringed, knowing how much her friend hated to be addressed that way, “will be the focus of people’s attention, anyone canny in politics will make an effort to learn who you are. If you want to, as you put it, continue living quietly,” his tone made it clear how possible he thought that was, “you will need to avoid giving yourself away. Do not tense. Use your body to draw people to you.” Kaylin thought anyone drawn to her body was likely blind. “I am hardly blind, Kaylin,” Nightshade told her cooly. Kaylin swallowed, not up for that discussion.

“I don’t know how I can…” Kaylin trailed off uncertain of what she was trying to say. It her surprise, Nightshade took a step back from her. When she opened her mouth to ask him why, invisible hands slid gently along her arms. This time, they weren’t unknotting muscles; they left fire in their wake. Kaylin had never been so aware of the delicate skin on the inside of her wrist until one of the hands brushed it lightly. She had never known simply being stroked could feel so good. When the hands slid back down her arms, they brushed the edges of her breasts creating a shockwave of sensation. Her breath caught as her nipples hardened. She had _never_ felt like this. The hands receded, leaving her shaking slightly. Why, she couldn’t say.

“Be aware of your body,” Nightshade instructed, while she tried to gather her scattered wits. “You understand that you cannot show an enemy weakness,” he continued. She nodded, trying to pretend that the last few minutes had never happened. “You equally understand that flinching away from your dance partner shows weakness.” Kaylin forced herself to nod again. “Trust that I will never take you unwillingly, and let’s try again.” The strange thing was, as they took their places again, Kaylin realized that she did trust him never to force her.

This time it went better. Not well, but better. She was as self-conscious as she was before, but in a different way. She was aware of the way he brushed his fingers across her skin; of how his touch lingered a moment after the music had changed; the way he never took his eyes off her. To her surprise, nothing he did made her feel uncomfortable. She felt wanted in a way she had never considered potentially positive before. Eventually he stepped back.

“Unless you intend to stay here tonight, it is best for you to be going.” Kaylin nodded. She wanted to get back and check on the Hawklord and in the end, Helen was her home. “I’ll have Lord Andellen escort you back.” He offered her his arm and led her to the doors. Lord Andellen was, of course, waiting for them when they exited. He immediately offered them each a deep bow. Kaylin was, as usual, left trying not to squirm. 

“I will see you tomorrow for more lessons,” Nightshade said.

“Umm, about that…” he raised a brow and waited for her to continue. “I’ve got etiquette lessons with Diarmat-”

“Lord Diarmat,” he corrected.

“-so I’m not sure I can make it.” He met her gaze.

“Kaylin, while I acknowledge you improved today, you are a long way from being a satisfactory dancer,” he warned.

“I know that!” Kaylin exclaimed. “It’s just he’s picky and his classes can last _forever_ -”

“Then I will have you escorted from the bridge,” he finished, making it clear that she would be arriving regardless of the hour. Kaylin wasn’t crazy about having an escort, but knew better than to argue. Nightshade turned to his liege. “Lord Andellen,” Nightshade instructed, “escort my _Erenne_ home.” 

“Lord.” Andellen bowed again in acknowledgment. Considering the fact that he had been waiting outside the door, it was obvious he had been expecting the order. Nightshade turned towards Kaylin and once _again_ kissed her. She’d gotten more kisses from the fieflord over the past few days than she had in her entire life and it left her unsettled and… wanting. When he drew back there was a ring of indigo in his eyes and Kaylin stepped away, trying to control her breathing. What was wrong with her? She turned and headed out, Andellen falling into step beside her.

“Why are you always so formal with him?” Kaylin asked as the exited the Castle. “You’re friends, aren’t you?” She needed something to focus on beside the feel of Nightshade’s lips or the touch of those invisible hands.

“Given our circumstances, we are, indeed, friends,” Andellen replied, not having any difficulty matching her pace as the sun disappeared blew the horizon.

“What does that even _mean?_ ”

“I have a responsibility to those who have sworn their loyalty to me,” Andellen explained, earning a nod of understanding from Kaylin, “and when what is best for them does not coincide with what is best for Lord Nightshade, I am left to make a decision.” Kaylin mulled over his words as they travelled the next few blocks.

“Like when you followed him into exile?” She asked hesitantly. Andellen nodded, but even in the dim light Kaylin could see the blue in his eyes. “Sorry, I just…”

“You defend the city,” Andellen commented. “What would you do if one of your friends presented a serious threat to the safety of the city?” Kaylin thought of the Nomanir, then, and they continued in silence. Eventually Kaylin recalled her original question.

“What does any of this have to do with your relationship with Nightshade-”

“Lord Nightshade,” he corrected predictably. “A great deal, Lord Kaylin. While I am personally fond of Lord Nightshade and have offered him my loyalty, I have other duties and responsibilities. There are lines that must be kept.”

“But why?” Kaylin bit out. Andellen stopped on the bridge.

“Lord Kaylin, do you truly fail to understand?” He met her eyes, and, apparently realizing that she really meant her question, continued. “When I make a decision that benefits my people but inconveniences Lord Nigthshade, if there were no defined boundaries between us, do you not think he might feel slightly betrayed?” Setting aside the fact that betraying Nightshade was functionally suicidal as far as Kaylin was concerned, she kept walking while she considered the matter.

“I… think I see what you mean,” she admitted as they drew up to her house. “Thank you,” she added, certain he understood it wasn’t for the escort.

“My pleasure,” he assured her. He bowed and withdrew into the night. Kaylin walked up the steps to her home where Helen stood waiting with the door open.


	13. Chapter 13

The day started wrong. Kaylin had a sneaking suspicion that they always did. Waking up was always a bad idea, especially on days where the first thing she heard were Mandoran and Bellusdeo shouting. Wondering why Helen wasn’t blocking the sound, Kaylin realized that there was a third, quieter, voice in the mix. Severn’s. She forced herself to her feet and slid on some pants. Her dress from last night had been carefully hung - Helen’s work, no doubt, since Kaylin vaguely remembered tossing it on a chair - and Kaylin dug around in her mostly clean pile for a shirt. Finding one, she pulled it over her head and made her way downstairs. Hope curled up on her shoulders lazily.

“Why did you let him in?” Kaylin asked the empty corridor.

“Did you want me to leave him at the door?” Helen countered, coming up beside her. Kaylin frowned at the question. There was a large part of her - the part that was hurt and confused - that strongly said _yes_. There was also, however, the part of her who had loved Severn for so much of her life and wanted to forgive him, wanted to go back to the way things had been and see him as the person she had once believed him to be.

“I… don’t know,” Kaylin admitted.

“Which is why I had to make a choice, dear. It is not easy to stop loving someone, even if they hurt you.” Kaylin thought of her Baranni friends, then.

“What does he want?” Kaylin asked, because he was apparently refusing to answer Bellusdeo and Mandoran’s questions.

“He has mastered silence,” Helen told her apologetically, “so I am uncertain. I can assure you, however, that he does not mean harm.”

“He didn’t mean harm last time, either,” Kaylin replied bitterly as they entered the highly contested foyer. Everyone fell silent at her arrival. “What do you want, Severn?”

“I’d like to speak to you alone,” he replied, almost angrily. Kaylin glared at him.

“After last time, do you honestly think I want to speak with you?”

“Kaylin, do you really want to meet your father for the first time at an Imperial ball?” Bellusdeo snorted smoke at the question.

“He’s not my father!” Kaylin shouted. Mandoran was watching the argument like it was a really interesting game. That didn’t improve Kaylin’s mood any as it certainly wasn’t a game to her.

“Yes, he is, and he would like to meet you!” Kaylin opened and closed her mouth a few times before shaking her head. She had rarely seen Severn so angry, but she was far, far, angrier, and within her own home she was free to ignore his temper. 

“I need food,” she announced to the room in general. Teela’s warning about speaking to the human Castelord at the ball echoed in her head, but she was hurt that Severn had shown up with Caste Court business instead of - what she could admit to herself she had been hoping for - an apology.

“How is the Hawklord?” Bellusdeo questioned, taking a seat across from her. Mandoran and Annarion followed them in.

“I haven’t checked this morning, but his breathing was better last night.” She had spent hours sitting beside him, simply watching the rise and fall of his chest and he slept. It was the reason she had slept so little. The Dragon smiled at her.

“I’m glad.” Kaylin smiled back, despite Severn’s loud silence in the room.

“That reminds me, how was your dancing class?” Kaylin asked around a mouthful of food. Severn chose the seat next to her and Kaylin did her best to ignore him. Usually, that was easy; she was so used to having him around. Not today, however.

“It was…good,” Bellusdeo replied, seeming almost hesitant. Kaylin’s eyebrows shot up. What was _that_ about? Dragons didn’t _do_ hesitation well. They were too fire and brimstone for that. “Diarmat reminded me on the way out that we are due for etiquette class tonight.”

“I _know_ ,” Kaylin groaned.

“How’s the investigation going?” Mandoran asked, digging into his food. Kaylin glanced at him in surprise.

“Do you care?” She asked more out of curiosity than anything else. He shrugged lazily at her.

“Teela’s been in a mood since the attack,” Kaylin grimaced, definitely not wanting to share Teela’s head when she got like that, “and hearing about that has to be more interesting than listening to you two talk about dance and etiquette.”

“Not even close,” Teela said entering the room with Tain on her heels, “and I’m not certain we should be talking about it, regardless.” She sent a pointed, blue-eyed look at Severn and Kaylin startled. It had never occurred to her that she couldn’t speak freely in front of him. Kaylin felt a pang at the thought of what was lost. Or what, as she now realized, had never been there in the first place.

“I don’t think Severn is part of the attack,” Kaylin began hesitantly. Teela pulled out a chair, and threw herself into it in a way that didn’t really acknowledge the fact that it was a dinning chair not one for lounging.

“I’m not saying he’s part of the attack, Kitling, but if he’s got ties to the Human Caste Court and the Wolves, which loyalty has precedence?” Kaylin understood then, viscerally, what Andellen had been trying to say.

“I am not compromised,” Severn told Teela. Teela sceptically raised a brow.

“So after not meeting his daughter for twenty-one years, he just so happens to want an introduction while we’re in the middle of an investigation?” Teela wasn’t buying it and after thinking about it for a minute, Kaylin wasn’t sure she was, either.

“I was the one who told Kaylin,” he argued, “and as they will be meeting in a few days regardless, it will be best for them to be introduced away from prying eyes.”

“And how do you propose doing that?” Annarion asked, watching Severn carefully.

“Come to the Caste Court as part of your investigations,” he replied promptly.

“How _the hells_ does ‘in front of the damn Caste Court’ count as _private?_ ” Kaylin asked incredulously.

“No one will look past the Hawk, Kaylin,” he told her. “If you’re curious or respond badly, they can dismiss it. After a couple minutes, the Castelord can lead you and your escort away to speak privately.” Kaylin opened her mouth to say no.

“Alright,” Teela decided, because how Kaylin met her father was apparently not her decision to make. Just then, Andellen entered the dinning room. He bowed to Teela and Kaylin before taking a seat. Kaylin was sure that everyone noticed he had not offered a bow to Severn. Kaylin suspected if Severn’s eyes shifted according to his mood they would have shifted then. Then again, he’d been tense and angry all morning, so maybe not. “We’ll take the kitling to the damn Caste Court, but _we’ll_ be the escort.” Count on the Baranni to make a social visit sound profoundly threatening. “What time?”

“This afternoon,” Severn replied immediately. Teela nodded.

“If you’ll excuse us then, we’ve got bloody Records to wade through.” Kaylin groaned and got to her feet. Andellen and Tain kept their displeasure to themselves while Bellusdeo exhaled hers in a smokey cloud. Annarion and Mandoran got up with them.

“From what Teela has said, I think we’ll skip this,” Mandoran commented as they left the room. Kaylin didn’t blame them; if she could, she’d skip this, too.

“You should both continue your lessons, boys,” Helen commented, coming up beside them. “I’ll see Severn out,” she continued, before Kaylin could address the Hawk/Wolf/Other still sitting in the dinning room. Nodding, Kaylin followed her guests as they settled around the mirror, getting ready for a long and boring screening. It took two hours of them watching to find what they were looking for.

“There,” Tain said sharply, halting the Records.

“Human,” Teela murmured in surprise. “At least we’ll have some legitimate questions to ask the Castelord this afternoon.”

“If we’re assuming this person is an Arcanist instead of an Imperial Mage, there can’t be many humans among their numbers,” Kaylin speculated.

“Not many, no,” Teela agreed.

“Is it just me, or does his face look blurry?” Kaylin would acknowledge the inferiority of mortal eyesight, but normally even she could make out a face right in front of her.

“Magical illusions don’t show up well in Records,” Teela told her.

“They typically aren’t recommended for races that don’t have more than one form since seeing themselves as someone completely different can lead to cognitive dissonance,” Bellusdeo added, earning a glance form the Baranni in the room. Before Kaylin could ask what the hell ‘cognitive dissonance’ was, Teela spoke.

“Does this not apply to Dragons?” The Baranni woman asked. Bellusdeo shrugged.

“We are not attached to our physical forms in the way members of other races appear to be. When I was young, attempts were made to understand the phenomenon in others, but if conclusions were reached, I was not around to hear them.”

“Lord Kaylin,” Andellen began, “I am not familiar with Aerians. Are you acquainted with the one there?” Turning back Kaylin saw what Andellen was pointing to. Just at the inner edge of the landing pad, heading towards the Aeries, was an Aerian. She appeared to be waiting for the Arcanist.

“No,” Kaylin replied. “Replay it,” she added distractedly. They watched it three times, but Kaylin could only catch a glimpse of her face.

“Capture image,” Teela drawled on their fourth viewing. “Let’s have Moran come here and see if she can identify the assassin’s accomplice.” 

“I think this is a good place to break, dears,” Helen said, walking in. “If you’re all headed to the Caste Court this afternoon, Kaylin should bathe and eat before going.” Teela snorted.

“That’s true. If we go without feeding the kitling first, it’ll be her stomach that announces us.” Tain and Bellusdeo both snickered, earning a dirty look from Kaylin. Andellen, with unquestionably the best manners of anyone in the room, kept his mouth shut. “I wouldn’t mind a bath myself,” Teela added, getting to her feet. 

Kaylin trailed after her, wondering why Teela wanted to speak with her privately. They entered the bathroom with a large, beautiful pool of water sink into the ground. Slightly scented steam wafted up from the water. They stripped quickly and slipped into the water. Hope chose to curl up in their discarded clothes. Kaylin sighed, amazed she could have such a luxurious bath in her own home.

“Kitling,” Teela said, looking at her in blue-eyed concern, “how are the lessons with Lord Nightshade going?”

“Um,” Kaylin faltered, because there was _no way_ she ready to talk about how he was making her feel. Teela’s eyes darkened at the blush on her face.

“Do you think it’s just coincidence that he is paying more attention to you at the moment?” Kaylin frowned.

“He’s not involved in the attack on the Hawklord, Teela,” Kaylin replied, surprised to find she was more certain of his innocence than Severn’s. Teela shook her head making her hair flutter in the water.

“I meant Severn,” Teela said, although that didn’t really clarify anything for Kaylin. “Nightshade is seducing you” Kaylin blushed heavily at the term, although she was aware she couldn’t deny it, “while you are in the midst of fighting with Severn. Do you think his timing is an accident?” Kaylin frowned, not having considered the matter. The Hawklord’s injuries and her fight with Severn had left her so distracted that she had failed to see the obvious.

“You’re saying he’s taking advantage of the fact that I’m mad at Severn to…”

“Win you over, yes.” Teela sighed. “Up until recently, I would have said that Severn is your safer option if you’re looking for a lover. Given recent disclosures, however, I’m not certain that either one of them qualifies as safe for you.”

“Nightshade won’t hurt me,” Kaylin replied, because she couldn’t say as much about Severn. Severn knew her, better than she knew herself, so there was _no way_ he wouldn’t have realized how much his actions would hurt her. Teela raised a brow at her words, but didn’t address them.

“I believe Severn’s feelings for you are what led him to make such a precipitous announcement,” Teela offered. Kaylin considered Teela’s point then shrugged.

“It doesn’t really matter how he told me, Teela. He’s been lying to me my entire life and I never knew. There was no way I was going to be happy finding out.” Teela nodded in acceptance.

“Before I took the Test of Name,” Teela began, in what seemed like an abrupt change of topic, “a young man began paying attention to me. He flattered me, courted me, treated me as if I had value. Compared to the suspicion and contempt I typically faced, he had very little difficulty winning my regard. It was only later that I learned that he had suspected I would pass the Test of Name and had engineered things so that he would already be in my favour when I did.” Kaylin wanted to reach out and comfort Teela, but knew better than to offer sympathy to any Baranni. 

Was this the same as her situation with Nightshade? Kaylin knew that he saw her as a potential power and was interested in her for that reason. It was the rest, the flickers of _something_ that slipped through their connection that perplexed her. She thought, if he only saw her as a potential tool, that she would be far less confused than she was at the moment.

“I… I know he thinks of me as a tool, Teela, but… that’s not all he sees me as,” she replied hesitantly. Teela met her eyes for a moment before shrugging. 

“I just don’t want you to get hurt, kitling,” Teela said, reaching out to brush Kaylin’s hair back. “Now let me wash your hair; it needs it.”


	14. Chapter 14

Kaylin had, for reasons considered perfectly obvious to everyone even loosely acquainted with her, never been to the Human Caste Court before. Had the choice been hers, Kaylin would have continued with this behaviour pattern. The Hawklord had quickly learned to send other Hawks to handle investigations that required ‘finesse’. Despite this, Kaylin was - yet again - wearing the dress she had worn back from Nightshade’s - which thankfully had sleeves - although Teela had permitted her to wear her tabard over top. With effort, she could ignore the material swirling around her feet with every step she took.

There had been some discussion about who was going; Andellen, who wasn’t a Hawk and technically shouldn’t be involved in their investigation in the first place, was adamant he was traveling as Kaylin’s escort; Bellusdeo, who wasn’t certain she wanted to meet a pile of self-important mortal nobles a minute earlier than she had to, but refused to leave Kaylin to meet her father without her; and Teela and Tain who were, in fact, investigating. By the time Severn showed up at the door, it was only Helen’s insistence that prevented Mandoran and Annarion from joining their already over-sized investigative team. Kaylin’s familiar let out his hissing laugh at the negotiations.

Severn might have fallen in step with Kaylin if Teela and Bellusdeo hadn’t simultaneously decided to walk on either side of her. Severn narrowed his eyes at them, but wasn’t about to start another argument, so he walked ahead of the group. Kaylin snorted at her friends antics while Tain and Andellen fell in at the rear. These weren’t the fiefs, and most of them were wearing the Hawk, but when Baranni traveled in a group, with intent, the roads cleared. They quickly made their way to their destination, arriving in front of an ostentatious building that was every bit as pretentiously offensive as Kaylin had feared. The guards were wearing armour that gleamed and Kaylin doubted they could do a damn thing in it. Even from a distance, however, they held the guard’s undivided attention. Well, not so much Kaylin, Severn, and Bellusdeo, as their Baranni companions. Kaylin snorted. The guards clearly had no idea what Bellusdeo was.

“Do we really have to go in?” Kaylin muttered, knowing the Immortals traveling with her would all hear the question.

“It is a bit of an eyesore, isn’t it?” Bellusdeo mused, not bothering to keep her voice down. “I can think of several ways to improve it.”

“If they involve fire, please don’t,” Kaylin cautioned, not certain how serious Bellusdeo was given the orange of her eyes. Teela smiled, all teeth.

“Nonsense, if this is their exterior, just imagine what fun we’ll have once we’re inside.” Bringing them seemed like a good idea at the time, Kaylin thought morosely. Although, to be fair, she had no way to force them to stay home, even if she hadn’t wanted them to come. Immortals didn’t do what mortals told them to do, except when it suited them.

“Teela,” Kaylin almost begged, “I know what you consider fun and _let’s not_.”

“Are you sure?” Teela asked, giving her a very blue-eyed glance. Kaylin realized with some alarm that Teela was perfectly prepared to start a fight and nodded firmly.

“Yeah, let’s just get this over with.” Teela shrugged gracefully and looked back towards the guards.

“As you like, kitling. If you change your mind, however, I won’t mind.” Kaylin grimaced, but since the guards would now be able to hear everything she said, kept the words behind her teeth.

“Imperial Hawks seeking an audience with the Castelord,” Severn introduced. Kaylin frowned at the fact that they didn’t give their names - although considering they had no good explanation for Andellen’s presence, it was just as well.

“We were informed,” one of the guards replied with a nod. “The Seneschal will guide you. Please make your way inside.” The thick walls instantly blocked the sunlight and Kaylin wondered if they honestly thought that was really going to help them if someone wanted to attack. Unless they were heavily enchanted - and her skin wasn’t burning, so she doubted it - it was barely going to slow down a serious attack. They weren’t going to keep out Dragons or Baranni with this level of security. Their group was met in the entrance hall by a man in a robe so heavily embroidered Kaylin wasn’t sure what colour the base material was.

_Please tell me the women’s dresses aren’t this…_ Kaylin asked, reaching out for Nightshade. She wasn’t sure if she was allowed to call something that obviously expensive ugly, but it really, really, was. Nightshade’s rare laughter flowed through the bond.

_This is not the venue under which I could convince you of the women’s innate sense of style, Erenne_ , the fieflord replied.

_Meaning you’d have to lie._

_Meaning exactly that._

_Is this why my other dresses were unsuitable?_ She was instantly a devoted fan of the relatively simple (and practical) Baranni fashion.

_Yes_ , he replied, amused, of course, by her horror. _I thought that since you bear my mark there is no need for you to match the Caste Court’s… style._

_That’s not style_ , Kaylin objected immediately, feeling a rush a gratitude that Nightshade hadn’t decided she should wear something this hideous to the damn ball. It was going to be hard enough to make it through the evening without her wanting to shred her own damn dress.

“Lord Seneschal,” Severn greeted, bringing Kaylin’s attention back to the present. “We have a few questions regarding possible human involvement in the attempted assassination of Lord Grammayre, Lord of the Hawks.” The man nodded stiffly.

“The Castelord has informed me. I am to guide you to him upon your arrival. We were not… expecting so many of you,” he added, skipping over Kaylin to focus on the influx of Immortals. “You are, of course, welcome.” Bellusdeo snorted smoke, making the man’s eyes widen. He swallowed hard before turning to lead them. “This way, please.” A few servants strode by as they passed, but it was a short walk and everyone of note must already be with the Castelord. Kaylin glanced around curiously, but found nothing to improve her opinion on the Court’s sense of style. The corridor widened into an ostentatious throne room filled with people in hopelessly impractical clothes. All of Kaylin’s prejudices about the Human Caste Court seemed instantly vindicated and she swore then to never complain about Baranni dresses again. The Seneschal’s arrival with them created a disturbance, and people sedately cleared a path between them and the Castelord.

Following behind Severn, with Immortals on every side, Kaylin was effectively blocked from sight from nearly every angle. When the Seneschal stopped before the dais, Teela and Bellusdeo kept walking until they were even with Severn and Kaylin got her first glance at the man who was, apparently, her father. He was older than she had expected. She realized looking at him that he hadn’t been young when he had had his affair with her mother, which somehow made the affair worse to her, but it was hard for her to hate an old man. His hair and neatly trimmed beard had gone salt and pepper; Kaylin wondered if had allowed his age to show because of the wizened appearances Sanabalis and the Arkon adopted. His eyes were, despite his age, an intense grey as he examined them, stopping an extra moment on her. She met his eyes, but kept her mouth shut.

“Forgive the intrusion,” Teela began in perfectly modulated High Baranni. She didn’t raise her voice, but it carried over the rustling of clothes and whispers of the courtiers.

“We are pleased to assist the Imperial Hawks at any time,” the Castelord replied evenly. Teela smiled slightly. It wasn’t genuine. “Particularly ones as distinguished as yourself, Lord An’teela, and Lord Bellusdeo.” There was a murmur as people realized who Bellusdeo was. Kaylin wondered if the Castelord knew how little Bellusdeo appreciated being addressed Lord.

“Of course,” Teela replied, accepting the praise as her due.

“I am currently observing the Hawks for the sake of my personal curiosity,” Bellusdeo clarified, “but I have sworn no oaths to them.”

“Of course,” the Castelord murmured. “Forgive my mistake, Lord Bellusdeo.” Bellusdeo inclined her head, but said nothing.

“I’m certain you are aware of the assassination attempt recently made against Lord Grammayre, Lord of the Hawks,” Teela began, bringing them to the official point of their visit. The Castelord - and Kaylin realized belatedly that she didn’t even know his damn name - nodded.

_Timaeus_ , Nightshade murmured. 

“We were grieved to hear the news,” Timaeus assured them. 

“Don’t grieve!” Kaylin interrupted, earning flat looks from more or less everyone. “He’s not dead,” she added more quietly.

“I trust Lord Grammayre is recovering from his injuries?” The Castelord rephrased, still addressing Teela. Which was annoying, but Kaylin was smart enough to admit just _might_ be a good thing.

“Indeed,” Teela agreed. “We expect him to make a full recovery. That said, during our investigation into the event, the possibility of human involvement has come to our attention.” 

“What evidence do you have of this?” Kaylin frowned slightly at the question. Wasn’t he supposed to whisk them away so they could speak in private? Was he expecting them to lie outright? Then again, Teela was Baranni. Lying was like breathing to them, so it wasn’t an unreasonable expectation. Kaylin felt Nightshade’s irritation at the back of her mind, but he didn’t comment, so Kaylin ignored it.

“Records from the Aerie show a human arriving with what appears to be a mirror. We believe this mirror was used to allow the assassin to flee the scene of the crime before the _praevolo_ could take steps to apprehend them.” Watching his reaction, Kaylin realized that he hadn’t known about the mirror because Severn hadn’t. That said, he was good. He didn’t so much as glance in Severn’s direction.

“Your words are concerning,” he admitted, and he almost sounded sincere. “What assistance do you seek from our Court?”

“We would like access to your Records on the Arcanists within your court and their fields of study.” The Castelord nodded and motioned to the Seneschal who bowed and withdrew. Teela flicked a glance at Kaylin before continuing. “Some of the information is sensitive and you may not wish to have it revealed in open court. It is, of course, your choice.” Kaylin heard the challenge clearly and wondered if the Castelord - she really couldn’t bring herself to think of him as her father - did as well. She cringed, knowing that in Teela’s current mood she would tell the entire court about Kaylin just to piss off Timaeus. Apparently Timeaus caught on. Maybe even the human Castelord needed _some_ brains.

“We will withdraw to my rooms,” he acknowledged, standing at last. He was tall, for a human, and stepped in front of them to lead without hesitation. Either he had complete faith in the Law and the reasons the Baranni were in his court, or he was stronger than he looked. Glancing at Severn, Kaylin suspected the latter. Then again, would the Castelord expect Severn to defend him in the event of an attack? Kaylin frowned as she followed them. A servant hurried forward to open the door for the Castelord - who apparently couldn’t open the damn doors on his own - and the group entered yet another ornate room. Kaylin thought her sight might blur after being exposed to such ostentatious surroundings. The Castelord took a chair - and something that damn fancy deserved a different name, but hell if she knew what it was - and glanced at Severn.

“Those present are aware of Kaylin’s heritage,” Severn answered the unspoken question. The Castelord’s expression shifted and Kaylin thought he was displeased, but wasn’t certain. He met her eyes in silence. Kaylin, having no idea what to say, opted for her rarely used wisdom and didn’t say anything.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Kaylin.” Kaylin, biting her tongue hard enough to bleed, kept her mouth shut. Meeting him was definitely not a pleasure for her, and she had only learned of their relationship a day ago, so it was hardly a wait. She thought, impulsively and intensely, that if she made it out of this meeting without starting a diplomatic incident she would plan some discussions in advance. Nightshade chuckled through their bond, but she could sense his concern.

_Do not make resolutions you have no intention of keeping_ , he told her, perfectly aware that at the moment Kaylin had every intention of keeping this resolution.

“What are your intentions towards my _kyuthe_?” Teela asked, at her possessive best, making Kaylin groan and Tain snicker. The Castelord raised a brow at the question. Hope opened his eyes to observe the Castelord.

“Am I not entitled to meet my daughter?”

“The timing of your interest in her affairs could be… relevant,” Teela replied cooly, earning her first real frown from the Castelord.

“I am not involved in the attack on Lord Grammayre,” he stated, looking slightly affronted, and Kaylin was, despite herself, inclined to believe him.

“You have not answered Lord An’teela’s question,” Andellen pointed out after a moment, speaking for the first time since arriving at the Caste Court. The Castelord examined him before replying.

“I currently have an heir so there is no need for Kaylin’s circumstances to change.” Kaylin took that to mean it would be politically awkward for him to acknowledge her at the moment. If she hadn’t hated him walking in, his complete willingness to plan her life without reference to what she wanted would have done the trick.

“We would like access to your Records,” Kaylin reminded him, not having anything polite to say about her heritage.

“No greeting after finally being reunited with your father?” The Castelord questioned, raising a brow.

“Marcus is my pride-father,” Kaylin snapped. The Castelord’s lips tightened in displeasure. It was enough to focus the attention of every Baranni in the room on him and - Kaylin hated to note - Severn.

“You would rather have a Sargent for a father than a Castelord?”

“I would rather have a father,” Kaylin replied. “Marcus was _there_. Where the hell were you?”

“The Records are available to you,” he eventually commented, rising to his feet. He looked older than he had when he first entered the room, but memories of Nightshade, of the cold, and the hunger, and the fear, held her in place. She watched him leave in silence.


	15. Chapter 15

It was Severn who spoke in the wake of the Castelord’s departure.

“Records, Arcanists by field of discipline, Shadow magic.” The mirror stayed blank.

“Records, Arcanists by field of discipline, permutability,” Teela tried. It took Severn repeating her instructions for an image to coalesce. The Castelord’s mirror was keyed to Severn, Kaylin realized, her heart sinking. She almost felt ill at the evidence of his loyalty, but forced herself to focus on the image before them. There was, to her surprise, only one match.

“The build is right,” Tain commented. They had no face to reference, but it was enough to warrant questions.

“It makes sense that an Arcanist who focuses on permutability would take the risk involved in using an illusion spell,” Bellusdeo mused. Kaylin didn’t feel like this was the moment for a discussion on illusion spells as practiced by the different races. Her rage and pain from dealing with the Castelord had left her shaken. His nonchalance towards her had been harder to stomach than she had anticipated; a father was _supposed_ to care. She thought, after all her years in the fief, she truly should have known better.

“He was present in Court when we arrived,” Andellen informed them, almost certainly for Kaylin’s benefit.

“Let’s go chat,” Teela said, smiling sharply. She led the way to the door and they quickly found themselves ensconced in the Human Caste Court.

“Were you able to find the information you were looking for, Lord An’teela?” The Castelord questioned from his throne. Whatever backlash he had felt from their encounter certainly seemed to have passed.

“Unfortunately, no,” Teela replied, making Kaylin freeze. She had to bite her tongue to keep the appropriate Aerian behind locked jaws. 

“How unfortunate,” the Castelord replied, looking very slightly displeased by the news. Kaylin had to assume that he simply didn’t care much, because years of watching Baranni for cues had made her adept at reading expressions.

_You depend too much on our eyes_ , Nightshade commented, instantly derailing her attention as she considered his perspective. It was true that humans were the only race for whom eye colour was not an indication of mood, but humans were also the weakest race, in Kaylin’s opinion. Had she gotten complacent in her dealings with her own race? She forced her attention back to the conversation at hand as the Castelord continued.

“We would like to invite you to partake in some refreshments with us, Lord An’teela.”

“Forgive me, Lord Timaeus, but as we are in the midst of an investigation, I must defer the pleasure,” Teela refused, smiling politely. With a few more minutes of politicking and barely a glance from her father, they were able to escape the overly ostentatious Human Caste Court. Kaylin took a deep breath once they crossed the threshold, almost thankful to have grown up in Nightshade. She couldn’t imagine growing up there, with that man as her father. 

“I’ll inform the Wolves that the Arcanist, Torian Pryderi, has fled,” Severn said once they were out of the guards’ earshot.

“No, you won’t,” Kaylin countered, abruptly coming to a halt.

“Kaylin,” Severn began.

“No, Severn.” She shook her head firmly. “In cases where the Lord of the Hawks has been personally harmed, the Wolves are only involved at the direct request of the ranking investigating Hawk. Teela, do you want the Wolves involved?”

“No,” she replied, staring at Severn with almost midnight blue eyes. Severn frowned, but it wasn’t in agreement.

“You have been temporarily transferred to the Wolves, Corporal Handred,” Kaylin stated formally, wondering vaguely if she should request the Hawklord make the transfer permanent once he woke. Regardless, she couldn’t imagine continuing with him as her partner after his revelations. She knew they had been through worse, but there had been _reasons_. What reason was there for his continued deceit? How many times would she forgive him because she loved him? “Corporal Danelle does not request the intercession of the Imperial Wolves in the case pertaining to Lord Grammayre’s injuries. There is no room for misunderstanding.” Severn stood there looking as though she had struck him and for a moment Kaylin almost regretted her tone before she reminded herself, _he knew about my father_.

“I will return to my other duties then, Private Neya,” he staid stiffly, turning on his heel and striding back to the Human Caste Court. They watched him leave in silence.

“We should head directly to Lord Diamat’s,” Bellusdeo eventually commented, appalling Kaylin.

“I’d really like to check on the Hawklord first,” Kaylin tried, a little desperately. Arriving late was one thing, but there was really no need to arrive _early_.

“You don’t have time for that,” Belludeo replied. Which was probably fair, looking at the shadows. Kaylin had so far managed to never be late for one of Diarmat’s lessons and didn’t want to break that record. That said, arriving early was another matter entirely.

“If I carried Lord Kaylin, she would be able to check on the Lord of the Hawks before her class,” Andellen offered, making Teela laugh and Tain snicker. Even Hope hissed out a laugh. Kaylin flushed.

“Never mind, I’ll just check him when I get home.”

“Lord Nightshade is expecting you this evening,” Andellen reminded her. Kaylin wilted at the thought of lessons with Diarmat and Nightshade in the same evening.

“Right.”

“Good luck, Kitling,” Teela called out, clearly amused by her plight, as Kaylin pointed her feet towards the Imperial Palace and ambled away, Bellusdeo in her wake. It was when she realized that Andellen had also joined them that she paused.

“I don’t need an escort to the Palace,” she told him.

“My Lord has commanded that I see you safely to him after your class with Lord Diarmat,” he countered. “I don’t mind waiting.” Kaylin sighed heavily, making Bellusdeo snicker.

“How are your dance classes going?” Kaylin countered pointedly, starting to walk again.

“From what Teela has told me, far better than yours must be. Did you really break your partner’s shin?” Kaylin grimaced.

“Look, I was just a bit startled, alright? We’d both been drinking and he pulled me in close and... well...” Kaylin trailed off, because she knew that breaking his leg for trying to get a little closer to her was a huge overreaction and she really did regret it. Teela, being Teela, had found the whole thing hilarious.

“Teela tells the story much better,” Bellusdeo said.

“Of course she does,” Kaylin muttered to her feet. “Wait,” she said, raising her head to stare at the Dragon in dawning horror, “ _when_ did Teela tell this story?”

“The other morning,” Bellusdeo replied dismissively, with gold-eyed good cheer.

“What _other_ stories did Teela share?” Kaylin asked, with something very close to panic. Bellusdeo laughed. The sound, beautiful and warm, carried, drawing looks as they drew nearer the Imperial Palace.

“Are you certain you want me to repeat them?” She asked, pointedly glancing at Andellen who wasn’t even pretending to ignore them.

“I’m certain I _don’t_ ,” Kaylin moaned. Bellusdeo’s grin widened and Kaylin was almost certain that Andellen was fighting a smile. 

“It seems, Lord Kaylin, as though there are more advantages to being in Lord An’teela’s company than I had previously realized,” Andellen commented, to Kaylin’s horror. “Perhaps, if I make an effort, she might be prepared to share some stories with me.” While Kaylin was trying to phrase her very strong objection to that, they cleared the guards without difficulty. They hadn’t made it much beyond that doors, however, when they encountered Sanabalis in the halls.

“Bellusdeo, it is always a pleasure to see you,” he greeted with a shallow bow.

“Likewise,” she replied, nodding slightly. “You are, perhaps, acquainted with Lord Andellen of the Baranni High Court?” She questioned, obviously having realized why he was present in the hall. Kaylin grimaced.

“Only in passing,” Sanabalis admitted, shifting his gaze to the Baranni. If Andellen was bothered by the focus, it didn’t show.

“Forgive my intrusion, Lord Sanabalis,” he said, bowing deeply. “My Lord has charged me with escorting Lord Kaylin to him once her lesson with Lord Diamat is complete, but if my presence here disturbs the Court, I am, of course, prepared to wait outside.” Belludeo laughed outright, sharpening Andellen’s smile.

“Has the Dragon Court grown so weak that a single Baranni Lord is cause for alarm?” she questioned Sanabalis.

“Certainly not,” the old Dragon replied, still gold-eyed, “however since we would not wish to disturb your lesson with an observer, I have come to offer my company to Lord Andellen for the duration. Perhaps, Lord Andellen, you could bring me up to date on the investigations regarding the attack on Lord Grammayre?” To Kaylin’s surprise, Andellen turned to her.

“Lord Kaylin?” 

“We don’t want the Wolves involved,” she told Sanabalis. The Dragon raised a brow, but nodded.

“There’s no reason to involve the Wolves due to a casual conversation, Kaylin.” Having gotten that reassurance, Kaylin nodded. Andellen bowed deeply to her, making his point in regards to his loyalties, before following Sanabalis down the hall.

“Things really have changed,” Bellusdeo mused, watching the two men walk away.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No...” Bellusdeo eventually decided, her eyes now settled on Kaylin. “The war was a time of courage and legend, but your race could never have survived the conflict. Neither would the Aerians or Leotines you treasure.” Despite the fact that at least some of all three races clearly had survived, that sounded like a pretty good reason for peace to Kaylin. They continued down the hall in silence until a second Dragon stepped into their path.

“Bellusdeo,” he greeted, looking vaguely familiar to Kaylin.

“Emmerian,” Bellusdeo replied, seeming pleased to see him. Considering the fact that he was teaching Bellusdeo to dance, her pleasure was surprising.

“I had hoped that after your lesson with Lord Diarmat you might be willing to dine with me,” he commented, sending Kaylin’s eyebrows shooting up. Was he asking Bellusdeo for a date? “If you are available,” he added, glancing at Kaylin.

“I... would like that,” Bellusdeo accepted, making Kaylin’s head snap around in surprise. She was, admittedly, the last person to know anything at all about dating, but... Was that really what it looked like? Emmerian smiled.

“I won’t keep you, then,” he said, withdrawing with a slight bow.

“Bellusdeo...” Kaylin began, once the corridor was empty.

“Not one word,” her companion replied.

“I was just wondering...” Kaylin continued, because Bellusdeo’s tone wasn’t _quite_ enough to stop her, “does the Emperor know?” Bellusdeo exhaled a puff of smoke, her eyes taking on a slightly copper tone.

“You fail, entirely, to understand the nature of this Court. Yes, Kaylin, he knows. He understands, better than you ever could, both the significance of Emmerian’s offer and of my acceptance.”

“I just didn’t want you to get in trouble,” Kaylin muttered, but it sounded bad, even to her ears. The Dragon stared at her in orange-eyed irritation, loudly not speaking. “Right,” a wilted Kaylin agreed. “Sorry.” Bellusdeo sighed smoke and shook her head.

“You wouldn’t be Kaylin if you didn’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong,” she replied, in Elantran. Understanding the forgiveness, Kaylin felt her shoulders relax. When they made it to Diarmat’s room, he was standing in the doorway.

“I was informed that you had arrived early,” he greeted, “but clearly the messenger was mistaken.”

“We encountered both Lord Sanabalis and Lord Emmerian,” Bellusdeo explained coolly. “Would you have had us slight them so that we could arrive early for our appointment with you? We are not late.”

“Not yet late,” Diarmat corrected, then sighed. “Very well. While I would have enjoyed the novelty of your early arrival, it seems we must make do with the time we have. I am told that you will both be attending the ball in a few days time.” His tone made it clear he was strongly opposed to the idea and for once Kaylin was in total agreement with him. “Since it has been decided, let us do what we can.” To mitigate this disaster, was left unsaid. Tact, Kaylin was learning, could be occasionally useful.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, we are finally caught up here! Please help encourage me so I can get the next chapter up! Reviews mean so much to me! Thank you for reading!

“Please tell me you’re not expecting me to actually act like that,” Kaylin said in Elantran by way of greeting, once she had found her feet after crossing Nightshade’s portal. He raised a brow over blue-green eyes, holding his hand out to her; she accepted it. Having seen her safely to the Castle, Andellen had chosen to stay on the other side of the portal; Kaylin vaguely wished she could have done the same. Her familiar observed the fieflord from his position on her shoulder.

“I consider Lord Diarmat prudent for focusing on those matters of etiquette most likely to arise at the ball,” Nightshade commented in High Baranni, as they walked arm in arm down the hall. Of course he did, Kaylin thought sourly. “That said, we will deliberately arrive after the ball has begun, so the etiquette for greeting our host, in this case the Emperor, will not be relevant.”

“We?” Kaylin repeated, having stuck on that point.

“Indeed,” Nightshade replied, his eyes shifting to an almost solid green. “You could, of course arrive on your own.” Kaylin waited for the trap. “I am certain you understand that anyone personally invited to such an event, will be noted by people of power. They will assess you and look for ways they might be able to use you.”

“Like you did?” Kaylin questioned, without any heat. Nightshade smiled, seeming pleased as opposed to offended by the comment. Kaylin would never understand Immortals.

“Precisely. If, however, you arrive as my _Erenne_ , interest in you will be somewhat lessened.”

“Not entirely absent?” Kaylin asked, without much hope.

“Not entirely absent, no,” the fieflord agreed. “It has been decades since I last attended an event like this and never with a... companion.” Kaylin flushed and looked away. Phantom hands began stroking her back and slowly melting the tension from her. It had been a long day. Nightshade opened a door and they took their seats at a table already laden with food. Kaylin, not one to turn away from food, dove in. “We can,” he eventually continued, watching her, “be grateful that you will not yet be required to eat in public.” Kaylin flushed in embarrassment and looked down at her plate. She _hated_ the fact that her lack of manners embarrassed her. Why should she apologize?

“I don’t understand why it all matters,” she bit it out. “Why does anyone care what fork I use?”

“Manners,” Nightshade replied, picking up his glass and swirling it gently, “are a means of showing respect to the people around you. They are not always practical, but displaying respect to those with power over you inevitably is. In this case, you would be showing me respect.” That was enough to make Kaylin pause in her eating.

“Umm...” she said, because she wasn’t entirely sure that she respected him, but disrespecting the fieflord was suicidal. Then she frowned at her thoughts. She had spent so long being afraid of him, but... he wasn’t the person from her childhood nightmares. His neglect had cost her, but he had never, personally, made any effort to harm her. Had in fact, repeatedly protected her at some cost to himself. He was arrogant and possessive, but you expected that from the Baranni. What exactly was her dislike founded on? “Why didn’t you bother looking after your fief?” Kaylin asked quietly, because as dangerously seductive as she found him, his treatment of the fieflings wasn’t something she could entirely brush aside.

“Why would I?” He questioned, so casually that fury struck Kaylin hard. She knew better than tell him it was the right thing to do, that letting people die before they had to was cruel. She forced herself to think as much like a Baranni as she could.

“I was born in your fief, Nightshade,” she began, anger lacing her words. His eyes had shaded to blue, but he kept his silence. “If you had been a different type of fieflord, I would serve you now. Severn might, too.” Given his loyalty to the Human Castelord, she was less certain on that than she would have been a week ago, but the point held. If not Severn, then others like him.

“Oh?” He prompted. 

“Do you have any idea - any idea at all - how frightened we were when the marks first grew on my arms?” She lifted her arms as though displaying them, although the sleeves of her dress concealed them. He knew what the cloth hid, regardless. “We were children, Nightshade, even in our own eyes, and we wanted an adult to be in charge. We wanted someone to tell us it would be alright. If you had invested the time and effort into looking after your people - and they are your people, they have no one else - we would have gone to you. We considered sending Severn to work for you, anyway, but you have too many challengers in the wrong part of town.” 

“How is this different from any other fief, Kaylin?” Memories of fear and hunger and cold stole her breath for a moment, before visions of Tara replaced them.

“It’s different from Tiamaris,” she replied. “What he’s done with the fief? Nightshade, I hate being impressed, but I _am_. What he’s done already shows what no one else has bothered to do. It can’t be as easy as he makes it looks, but... Nigthsahde,” she whispered, “it’s _worth it_.” 

“If I were to act as though the people of my fief mattered to me,” it was clear from his tone it would only be an act, “it would give my enemies countless weak targets. In order to assert myself, I would be forced to defend them from constant attacks.” Kaylin listened to his words, but it was what she felt through his name that caught her attention.

“That’s not why,” she pointed out, trying to reach for a thought he was keeping just beyond her grasp. When he remained silent, she, unwisely, found other words to fill the gap: words she had been wanting to say since he first marked her, since she had first landed in his lap centuries prior. “You knew ages ago that I would be born in your fief. You knew when you took the fief. Instead of becoming a fieflord who could command my loyalty, you became one who manipulates me into doing things I would have done regardless.” His eyes were very, very dark, but she had come to trust that he truly wasn’t a threat to her and didn’t even try to take back her words. He may not deserve Annarion’s censure, but he certainly deserved hers. Some of the anger left her, thinking of his brother. “The Emperor doesn’t look after the city because he likes the people,” as he had made very, very clear at dinner. “He looks after it because he knows that is the only way the people who will be useful or interesting to him will flourish and come to him. You would have been wise to do the same.”

“Would I?” He questioned, coolly. Something in his tone made her still, as though bracing for a verbal impact. “Would I have been wise to disturb the timeline where I knew you survived to adulthood? The timeline where I knew you were born?” Kaylin stilled. “The manipulation of time is done with extreme caution, even by the wise, Kaylin.” There was no way, none at all, she deserved to be held accountable for all the suffering of all the people in his fief since he had first claimed it. He rose to his feet and glided over, cupping her marked cheek, as though unaware of her sudden, paralyzingly guilt. Hope watched his approach intently. “You are more valuable to me than all the rest of my ‘people,’ as you call them.”

“I can’t-” Kaylin protested and she couldn’t, really. She couldn’t possibly bear the guilt. Their eyes held.

“It was my decision, Kaylin,” Nightshade told her, in what almost seemed like comfort.

“It was because of me,” Kaylin protested, wanting to believe his assurances, but knowing she didn’t deserve to. It was so much easier to blame him than it was be in any way responsible for the situation in the fief. If she had guarded her thoughts better when they met in the past, he wouldn’t have known about her childhood. He might, just might, have taken an interest in the welfare of his people. How many people had warned her?

“There are other factors, of course. As I have told you, I have no taste for children. Had you come to me as one, I would not have marked you. And Kaylin, I want you to be _Erenne_ to me.” Kaylin thought, if she could have found the words while his thumb so gently stroked her cheek, that he could have marked her once she became an adult, but the thought was lost entirely as his lips descended on hers. She could feel the tears on her lashes, tears she refused to let fall, and hated the comfort of his kiss. Eventually he drew back and the tears finally tumbled down her cheeks. “I am putting laws into place now, for Annarion,” he paused momentarily, brushing her tears away, “and for you.” Hope, to her surprise, jumped from her shoulder to curl up on the table. She leaned her head against his chest accepting that it would have to be enough. She wanted to ask what he would do after the ten years were up, but she didn’t want to loose the ground Annarion had gained for the people. Nightshade’s hands rose and he began massaging her shoulders before slowly making their way down her back; Kaylin melted into him.

“Are you honestly going to try to teach me to dance tonight?” She eventually mumbled into his chest.

“I am,” he replied, pulling away slightly. He gently held her face and she closed her eyes, anticipating his kiss. He traced her lips with his tongue and when she opened her mouth to him, delved in. Without conscious thought, she rose up on her toes, trying to meet him. He shifted his lips to her neck, his hair cascading in a silken wave around them. Kaylin was stunned when he began kissing and sucking his way down her throat. She unconsciously tipped her head to give him better access.

“Nightshade,” she moaned. She had never, ever, imagined something could feel so good. Lost in the sensation, she pressed herself against him before fear caught up. She froze. Sensing the change in her mood, he released her and stepped back. She looked for words, but couldn’t find any. Eventually, it was Nightshade who found the words.

"How long do you wish to be bound by fear, Kaylin?" He asked, watching her carefully.

"What fear?" Kaylin asked, her voice taut. But she knew where he was going with this. Nightshade raised a brow in reply.

"You fear men-"

"I don't-" Kaylin interrupted. That depend the blue in his eyes, but he continued to speak.

"And the fact that they might desire you. You fear yourself, and the possibility that you might desire them."

"Sex is a tool," Kaylin said flatly, her eyes glued to the floor. She absolutely did _not_ want to have this conversation with the fieflord.

"Yes," he agreed mildly, "but it is not only that. There would hardly be so many humans if they found intercourse...onerous." Kaylin flushed. "You were meant to enjoy this. Why do you fight yourself?" His voice was almost gentle, and she could feel the weight of his gaze on her face.

"I'm not fighting myself," she told him, memories of Barren floating to the surface.

"You are not only fighting yourself," he corrected, and Kaylin couldn't find it in herself to argue, since it was true. "You have overcome much this past year," he continued, and Kaylin almost looked up at the unexpected praise. "Isn't it time for you to overcome this, as well?" Kaylin wrestled with herself, because she hated being trapped by fear, and Barren was _dead_. She wasn't a powerless child anymore, she wasn't living in Barren anymore - there _was no Barren_ anymore - and yet the memories wrapped around her like chains.

"...what do you suggest?" She felt his triumph at the question and she might have left then had she not also sensed his pride in her. Startled, she met his gaze and was surprised to see flecks of brown in them. Nightshade's approval was a rare gift; Kaylin hated that it mattered.

"I believe you have found that knowledge alleviates many fears." Thinking of the Tha'alani, Kaylin nodded. "If you are willing, I will remove my clothes and allow you to... explore my body."

"You really don't need to-" She objected, utterly embarrassed.

"No, I do not. You, however, need to learn to dance, and if you do not conquer this fear, you will find that...challenging." When Kaylin stayed silent, he added, "this is something I am choosing to do. You do not need to feel bound by it. I have told you, I will wait."

"...all of your clothes?" Kaylin asked, her throat very dry. The brown gave way to green in his eyes; she had amused him, again.

"Does the thought please you, _Erenne_?" Kaylin flushed and forced her eyes away from his knowing smirk. "Come," he said, offering her a hand. She wiped her suddenly sweaty hand on her dress before reaching out for him. They walked in silence to her room, and Kaylin fought the impulse to turn and run half a dozen times. 

They entered the door, and Nightshade moved further into the room. He glanced at her then began removing his robes. Kaylin lingered by the door, but couldn't take her eyes off him. She had always found the Baranni beautiful - any mortal did - but even amongst the Baranni, Nightshade was striking. Kaylin couldn't say what made him more beautiful than other Baranni; there were no scars, no flaws to his perfection, but that was typical. He set his robes aside, and lay down naked on top of the bed. To her surprise, he used his arms to pillow his head, his hair fanning out around his face. Kaylin wasn't sure how long she stood, her eyes traveling the length of his body before he spoke.

"I would be pleased to have you touch me." When she didn't respond, he added, _I will not move_. Kaylin hesitated, then forced her eyes up to his. Finding them green, she got her feet to move, then stood, hovering at the edge of the bed. She reached out a hand, and told herself it wasn't shaking. Nightshade undoubtedly noticed, but didn't comment. Her hand made contact with smooth, warm flesh. He looked like a statue, like something too perfect to be real, and it always surprised her how warm he was. Soft skin covered muscle, and her hand glided over his chest. Kaylin wasn't sure when she sat on the edge of the bed, or when she started exploring with her other hand. She paused when she reached his nipples. She traced one gently with the tip of her finger and watched, entranced, as it began to stiffen.

"Does that feel good?" She asked, finding her voice at last. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes, so she kept her eyes focused on his chest.

"Having your hands on me feels good," he assured her quietly. Kaylin forced her gaze up; his eyes were green with a ring of violet. Kaylin swallowed and tried not to think too hard about the violet.

"...your nipples?" She clarified, blushing heavily.

"It all feels nice," he answered gently, "but my nipples are not as...sensitive as your own would be." The blushing got worse, and Kaylin forced her eyes back down. Which was when she realized that he had begun to harden. He wasn't fully hard - that probably would have sent her running to the door, regardless of her intent - but he continued to stiffen under her regard. She hesitated, glancing up the meet his eyes. The violet had spread, but he made no effort to move. She swallowed hard and reached out to touch his cock. It was just a poke, really, but it was the first time she had ever willingly touched a man there, and since he didn't protest, she let her finger slide over it. The skin was even softer and smoother than the rest of his body, although she would have said that was impossible until her hand made contact. It was also longer than she had anticipated, although she had always made an effort to remain ignorant in that regard, even when healing men. She began using her whole hand, rolling the flesh up and down curiously. He grew both longer and harder under her touch. Nightshade made a muted sound, and the trance was broken. Kaylin glanced up to see his eyes entirely violet.

"Umm, I can-" but words failed Kaylin, because she really had no idea what to say. "I can stop-" his body had tensed, but through their link she felt his denial. He added no words to it; he did not plead for her to continue, but after a moment she went back to her explorations. It wasn’t scary, she realized. His cock was both soft and hard, but it was not a weapon, not something she needed to live in fear of. “What...” Kaylin cleared her throat and tried again. “Is there something I can do to make you feel... better?”

“I would appreciate you tightening your grip,” he replied, sounding strained. When she glanced up, she met entirely violet eyes. She swallowed hard, but tightened her grip, trusting him to let her know if she hurt him. She felt more than heard him chuckle. “You will not hurt me, Kaylin.” Accepting that assurance, she began moving harder and faster until he came, covering both her hand and his stomach in cum. She looked down at her hand having no idea what to do now. “Give me your hand,” he instructed. She swallowed, but placed her dirty hand in his. He held her eyes and drew it to his lips, slowly licking it clean. Kaylin felt her body heat with desire.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it’s a few days early, but Happy New Year, guys! Also, for anyone who missed it, Michelle Sagara has posted the first chapter of CiWisdom on her site (so excited!). I wanted to flag that I know things are moving too fast between Kaylin and Nightshade, but it would take like 2,000 pages to get them together Sagara style, so please forgive the pace. Anyways, enjoy!

Kaylin had no idea how long they stayed locked in each other’s gaze. 

“We should begin your class,” Nightshade eventually declared, violet eyes bleeding into a deep emerald. His words stunned Kaylin. Flushing, she jerked her hand out of his, embarrassed that _she_ was the one filled with desire when he had just... He sat up and Kaylin couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She knew, had he continued, that she would have had sex with him; there was no way he hadn’t realized that. Why did he stop, then? That was what he wanted, wasn’t it? He sat up and stroked his mark on her. “You will know when you are ready, Kaylin,” he assured her, leaning forward to catch her lips with his. It was different, with them both seated. After a long moment, she surrendered and kissed him back, her hands running freely along his naked chest. He tilted his head brush kisses along her neck and Kaylin, daringly, reached up to stroke his hair. It was so silky. So very, very silky. Brushing Teela’s hair had been a privilege and Kaylin tentatively ran her hands through Nightshade’s. He stopped kissing her and leaned his head against her shoulder. His arms hung loosely around her, but Kaylin didn’t feel trapped at all. “Does it please you, _Erenne_?” He murmured, his lips brushing her neck as he spoke. Her breath hitched, but she continued stroking his hair.

“Yes,” she replied honestly, because sarcasm seemed so far out of reach.

“You are always welcome to touch it,” he invited, closing his eyes; it was enough to make her hands still.

“You don’t mind?”

“As I have said, Kaylin, I enjoy having you touch me. If this is something you enjoy, I would be pleased to have you do so.” Kaylin swallowed. He looked so peaceful leaning on her shoulder, leaving himself vulnerable to her in a way that was normally anathema to the Baranni. It was impossible to reconcile this man resting on her shoulder with the nightmare who had haunted her childhood.

“I think,” she began quietly, around a swelling of some emotion she couldn’t quite name, “after Barren, I always thought of men as different...”

“As a threat,” he interjected, which was true, but not precisely what she had been trying to say.

“I tried - hard - not to think of men _as_ men. With you in particular, I...”

“I will not force you, Kaylin, but I am a dangerous man. Your fear may have been misdirected, but it was not unfounded.” Kaylin slowly resumed stroking his hair. It was intimate, but not... threatening. There was no fear, here.

“It was unfounded,” Kaylin argued quietly. “I didn’t know you. I knew your fief. I knew you were a powerful. I knew you were a man. But Nightshade... I didn’t know _you_. I didn’t know your reasons. I was so caught up in my own fears, I didn’t even bother asking. I’ve accused you of a lot of things, but it took me a year to actually _ask_ about the fief.”

“Do not make me what I am not,” Nightshade warned, his voice cool. “I am not, even by the standards of my kin, a kind man. I am not, by your standards, a good man. This will not change, Kaylin.” Suspecting he might try to sit up, Kaylin placed a hand on his head in warning. She didn’t want to break the moment. She couldn’t say that she didn’t want that to change - she _did_ want him to care about his people - but even if it wasn’t for the right reasons, he was beginning to look after them. The Emperor didn’t claim any affection for most of his people and he had built the city Kaylin _loved_. Affection was not required to build something worthwhile. Kaylin didn’t know how long they sat like that before Nightshade straightened and her hand fell away. “Come now, let us dance.” He got to his feet and, holding Kaylin’s gaze, began dressing. Kaylin flushed, but didn’t look away. A distant part of her mind wondered how he had cleaned himself without her noticing, but mostly she was occupied with admiring him; he was almost painfully beautiful to behold. Once he was fully dressed, he offered her a hand and she took it, allowing him to draw her to her feet.

“Will... will _that_ really help me dance?” She asked, unable to actually say what they had just done. The fieflord chuckled as they walked arm in arm down the now familiar halls.

“You are far more comfortable with me than you were an hour ago,” he replied, sounding terribly pleased with himself. Kaylin frowned, considering why he hadn’t allowed her to be swept away with the desire he had invoked. She stopped abruptly as the answer came to her.

“You intend to have me _ask_ for...” she spluttered, flushing bright red. Nightshade drew her into his arms, tilting his head so his lips brushed her ear as he spoke.

“Kaylin, I will have you _beg_ for me.” Kaylin’s blush became almost painful as she felt desire roll through her.

“I won’t,” she told him, in a voice she would forever deny squeaked. He shifted, catching her lips in a dance which really had become shockingly familiar. He swallowed her moan as she arched into him, clinging to his robe. When he leaned back, his eyes were green, ringed with violet. He calmly offered her his arm again and they continued down the hall in silence. Kaylin tried to even out her breathing. He was in far, far, too good a mood. Well, trying to teach her to dance was bound to change that. They took their places and began, the memory crystal’s music filling the air.

“How was your visit to the Human Caste Court?” Nightshade asked, as they began moving. Kaylin faltered, but he steadied her. She was growing used to the swirl of her dress around her ankles.

“Are we really supposed to talk while we’re dancing?” Kaylin questioned, trying to divide her focus between her steps and her conversation. Nightshade raised a brow.

“It is not, typically, considered polite to ignore your partner for the entirety of your dance together.” Kaylin grimaced. Great. Just what she needed. Political sparring while dancing.

“I can’t just dance with you?” Kaylin almost pleaded, because the thought of trying to talk to strangers and dance was really too much. Most of the time, Kaylin wasn’t very good at polite. Nightshade smiled smugly, making Kaylin frown harder.

“Unfortunately not,” he replied, keeping his voice neutral. “Despite your belief that I am a possessive and unreasonable Baranni Lord, it would be considered exceedingly bad etiquette if I were to keep you for myself.” Kaylin spluttered.

“There’s etiquette on how many times you’re allowed to dance with someone?” Nightshade raised a brow in response. Of course there was. Was there anything the Baranni didn’t have rules for? Nightshade’s smile sharpened, but he chose not to answer the thought. Kaylin decided she was better off not knowing.

“I would imagine that there are those amongst your friends who will also try to aid you by asking for your dances.”

“So... I can avoid talking to strangers without completely offending everyone?” Kaylin asked, with the first stirrings of hope. Maybe she could make it through this damn ball without creating a political incident.

“Who do you know will be attending?” He asked, guiding her through a turn.

“Teela plans to go,” she offered. He raised a brow at her.

“No doubt, although I consider it unlikely that her presence will alleviate the difficulty you find yourself facing in regards to familiar dancing partners.” Kaylin frowned at him.

“Why ‘no doubt’?” She questioned, earning another raised brow. 

“Lord An’teela treats you like a child under her protection.” Kaylin grimaced at the truth of his words. She was trying _so hard_ to grow up, but some days it felt like Teela didn’t see it _at all_. Then again, who did?

“And you don’t?” she challenged. Nightshade stopped dancing and pulled her body flush against his. It was awkward - and intimate - but didn’t invoke the blind terror Barren had left behind.

“You are young, Kaylin, but I assure you, I do not consider you a child.” Kaylin swallowed hard as she held his violet gaze.

“...Why not?”

“Over the centuries,” Lord Nightshade replied quietly, “I have spent more time associating with mortals than Lord An’teela.” Kaylin was glad they had stopped dancing or she certainly would have tripped. 

“ _Really?_ ” He raised a brow at her disbelief.

“The mortals preserved in my Castle are not here by accident, Kaylin,” he murmured, causing her break his gaze and to look around at the frozen figures. She forced herself not to look for the Leontine she had spoken to. “Some I searched for, some came to me. Regardless, over the centuries, I have spent a great deal of time with them. I have come to understand that the years do not pass the same for each race, in a way most of my kin have not.” She leaned her head against his chest as she considered his words. His arms wrapped firmly around her back, keeping her anchored against him.

“Why do you gather them?” She eventually asked. His hand shifted and he pulled the stick out of her hair, letting it to fall down her back.

“There are several reasons,” he deflected, stroking her hair. Kaylin tilted her head to meet his light blue eyes. It wasn’t a colour she liked or had cause to see often.

“Like what?” Her frowned at her persistence, but she wanted to know. After everything they had done together, she wanted to learn more about him. All Baranni were private, but it was about damn time she _tried_.

“I am interested in their histories, their races. I have, on occasion, found them useful.” Kaylin was focused on the words he didn’t say.

“You want to be loved,” she murmured and saw the fieflord flinch. She grimaced, realizing, after the words had left her mouth, how horrifying they would be to a Baranni. “Sorry,” she said, swallowing hard and meeting his now midnight blue eyes.

“Is there anyone who does not wish to be loved?” He questioned cooly, distancing himself from her observation without denying it entirely.

“I don’t know,” Kaylin replied, thinking that he seemed more human to her now than he ever had before. She felt his irritation at the thought through their bond. He raised his hand to stroke the mark on her cheek. Kaylin wondered, then, if he wanted her to love him. She had always believed that the Baranni weren’t capable of love, but Nightshade’s love for his brother had cost him everything. “I don’t want to be...” Kaylin waved her arm at the statues, unable to find the words and unwilling to examine her own revelations.

“I know,” Nightshade answered. “You have many people that you value, now; living just for me would break you.” Kaylin closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest at the allusion to Steffi and Jade. She wondered what she would have said had he made her such an offer immediately after her deaths, but even then couldn’t imagine accepting it. She hadn’t particularly wanted to live after her loss and had spent too much time in the shadow of the Castle to have easily trusted the fieflord. Without his name, she wasn’t sure she would trust him now. “Come,” he said, taking her arm. “It is late and you will need to continue your investigation tomorrow.” Kaylin knew, without words being exchanged, that she would not be leaving the fief tonight.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conversation I reference between Kaylin and Teela is from CiPeril, Ch. 26. 
> 
> Reviews keep me writing! I hope you enjoy & Happy New Year!

Kaylin hated mirrors. She hated them with a passion she was certain the wise would reserve for other things. Kaylin, however, had never been accused of bring wise. She forced herself to get up at some bleary-eyed hour of too-damn-early-in-the-morning to answer the call. Helen’s reflection stared back at her. 

“Lord Grammayre is awake, dear,” Helen said, driving the sleep from Kaylin. Her familiar flew over to settle on her shoulder.

“Truly?” Kaylin asked after swallowing hard.

“I am,” the Hawklord said, moving into the frame, “recovered. Your Helen, however, is disinclined to allow me to leave without your permission.” Kaylin flushed at her lord’s tone.

“I’ll come now,” she offered. The Hawklord frowned at her.

“There’s no need,” he replied cooly, his eyes more blue than grey.

“We haven’t apprehended the suspects in your attack,” Kaylin told him quietly. “Please don’t return to the Aerie yet.” The Hawklord held her eyes silently for a long minute.

“I will allow you to examine me now,” he replied at length, making Kaylin nod. She knew that was as much of a compromise as she was going to get from him.

“I’m on my way.” She reached out and broke the connection.

“You are having dinner with the Emperor this evening, I believe,” Lord Nightshade commented as she almost ran into him in the doorway. She stumbled back a step and forced herself to nod without offering him the Leontine that reminder deserved. He, of course, heard it anyway. “I will, nonetheless, require you return here afterwards. You are not yet ready for an Imperial Ball.” Kaylin, who felt she would _never_ be ready for an Imperial Ball, nodded again. “Tender my regards to Lord Grammayre,” he continued, earning a third nod as she tried not to shift impatiently. He smiled slightly, then reached forward, holding her in place as he bent down to kiss her. He was, really, too damn good at that. Kaylin was grateful when he drew back, because she wasn’t sure she could. “I will see you later.” Kaylin nodded again, because speech was now beyond her for a completely different reason. She hit the portal at a run and her happiness at the Hawklord’s recovery was _almost_ enough to drive the nausea back. She hadn’t made it three strides before Andellen fell into step beside her.

“Don’t you ever sleep?” She questioned as they ran. The light from the moons was bright enough for her to see the raised brow that question earned her. Which was fair, it had been a stupid question. The Baranni Hawks didn’t need it either. All thoughts of annoying Baranni who didn’t need sleep were driven from her mind as they passed a couple of the fieflord’s guards facing a feral. She almost stumbled in her surprise. “What’s going on?”

“Lord Nightshade has assigned patrols to the fief,” Andellen replied, not having the decency to sound winded. Kaylin, knowing they didn’t need help with a single feral, had to force herself to keep running anyway. She mulled that over for a few minutes.

 _Thank you_ , she said reaching out to the fieflord.

 _You’re welcome_ , Nightshade replied. She and Andellen had made it to the bridge now. They crossed it without issue and headed through the city to Helen. The few people who were out made way for the running Baranni, so it didn’t take long.

“Kaylin,” Helen greeted as soon as she stepped through the gate.

“Where is he?” Kaylin replied.

“In the parlour, dear,” Helen replied, following her in. “Teela was here when he woke up and wanted to speak with him.” Kaylin nodded. Teela, as the ranking investigative officer in the case, was no doubt making her report. “Yes dear,” Helen agreed, opening the door for her. Kaylin froze for a moment on the threshold. There he was standing, looking, to her eyes, as beautiful as he had seven years ago when she had first climbed his Tower. He turned towards the door and met her eyes. His eyes were almost a Baranni blue, a colour Kaylin hated to see on Aerians. She hardly even noticed Andellen follow her in.

“Private Neya,” the Hawklord greeted in High Baranni, then, seeing her expression, shifted his wings, “fledgling.” Kaylin knew that tone, that arch of his wings. She ran over and threw herself into his arms, trembling as his wings came down around them. She stood in a cocoon of perfect white feathers, not even bothering to hide her tears. He knew her better than she knew herself, so there really was no point.

“Don’t do that again,” Kaylin whispered into his chest. He cradled her face in his hands, careful to avoid Nightshade’s mark, and kissed her brow, his eyes now a soft grey. Kaylin closed her eyes and accepted it like the benediction it was, to her. As she had grown up, these moments had become increasingly rare, but feeling his heart beating steadily beneath her hand, Kaylin could finally believe that he had _survived_. “I can’t loose you.”

“You eventually will,” he replied, because he didn’t often lie to her, “to old age, if nothing else. However, thanks to your healing, not this time.” She nodded, not quite ready to let go. He waited until her hands unclenched on his shirt, before lowering his wings again. When Kaylin glanced around, the room was empty.

“Yes, dear,” said Helen’s voice, without her accompanying body. “Teela thought it best to give you two privacy.”

“Private,” the Hawklord began again, forcing Kaylin to step back and, after a deep breath, salute.

“Sir.”

“Report.” Kaylin frowned. Hadn’t Teela already done that?

“Sir,” she began, but then the door opened and Teela, Tain, and Andellen entered.

“Forgive the interruption, Lord Grammayre,” Teela said, walking forward and offering her own salute. Tain saluted in silence. Kaylin wondered when he had arrived.

“Just now, dear,” Helen replied, following the Baranni in. “I’ll get some food for you and Lord Grammayre, once you’ve finished your report,” Helen continued, answering Kaylin’s thoughts, if not her words. Kaylin nodded.

“Lord Andellen,” the Hawklord greeted. Kaylin’s eyebrows shot up and she wondered when they had met. The very blue-eyed fieflord’s guard came forward and bowed.

“Lord Grammayre.”

“I understand from Corporal Danelle that you have been attending the investigation.”

“With Lord Kaylin’s permission, yes.” That made four pairs of blue eyes swing her way.

“He’s not involved in the attack. Neither is Nightshade. We have a likely suspect for the Arcanist and are waiting for identification from Moran on an accomplice,” Kaylin defended.

“You were at Lord Nightshade’s tonight?” Kaylin tried to keep the blush from her cheeks and knew she failed when the Hawklord’s eyes darkened. He shifted, folding his wings more tightly behind him. Kaylin wanted to dig a hole and _hide_ , knowing how well he could read her.

“Yes, sir.”

“A social visit.” Kaylin wanted to cringe, but forced herself to stand at attention and answer.

“Yes, sir.”

“Corporal Danelle tells me that you are attending an Imperial Ball in three days time.”

“Yes, sir.” At his raised brow, Kaylin elaborated. “Nightshade - Lord Nightshade -” she corrected, before Andellen could, “is teaching me to dance. The Arkon suggested it.”

“I will not question the Arkon’s actions in this,” the Hawklord conceded after a moment. “You will be attending as Lord Nightshade’s guest?” Kaylin nodded, thankful he hadn’t said Consort.

“Lord Nightshade felt that having me arrive on my own would draw more attention than we want to me.” The Hawklord considered the matter before nodding.

“Very well. I will not suggest you change your plans.” Kaylin wanted to sag with relief, glad that part of the conversation was over. “Corporal Danelle also informed me about your recent introduction to your father.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Keep me appraised of any further developments,” he instructed.

“Yes, sir.” He glanced over them all before turning to Teela.

“I will leave the investigation in your hands, Corporal Danelle,” he concluded. 

“Yes, sir,” Teela accepted cooly. They made their way to the dinning room where they found the rest of Kaylin’s guests having breakfast. Having a houseful of Immortal guests for whom sleep was a strange human idiosyncrasy meant that you could run into people at any time of the day or night. Kaylin sat down and began eating.

“Your brother is working on laws for the fief,” Kaylin told Annarion. His eyes, predictably, darkened at the mention of his brother.

“Any interesting ones?” Mandoran asked into Annarion’s silence. The rest of the table didn’t even bother pretending they weren’t listening to the conversation. Kaylin shrugged.

“Considering it took him more than six thousand words to say ‘don’t steal,’ I haven’t read them all.” Kaylin grimaced at the memory. Teela snorted. “He’s also got patrols out hunting ferals,” Kaylin continued.

“Thank you for telling me, Lord Kaylin,” Annarion said stiffly with a glance at Andellen.

“Oh, and he told me to say hi to you for him,” Kaylin added, turning to the Hawklord.

“You’re paraphrasing,” the Hawklord replied. Kaylin shrugged because it was true.

“He said to send his regards,” Kaylin tried again. This time, the Hawklord nodded.

“Please thank him - politely - for his concern.” Teela snorted at the instructions. Kaylin, despite being the one to have brought the fieflord up, decided to change the topic.

“So how do we find an Arcanist on the run without involving the Wolves?” She asked Teela around a mouthful of food. The Hawks really were an investigative branch of the Halls of Law and Kaylin had no real experience in hunting criminals except if they resisted arrest. _That_ was why she could run a four-minute mile.

“He’d be stupid if he returned to his house,” Teela pointed out with a shrug, “so we should probably start with the Arcanium.”

“There’s been a lot of stupid in this case,” Tain commented. Teela snorted, her eyes lightening.

“Moran’s identification of the accomplice just arrived,” Helen announced. “She’s currently in her custody.” Which pretty much settled that. Kaylin wolfed down the last of her food and got to her feet.

“Alright, let’s get going.”

“Not like that, you’re not,” Teela commented, making Kaylin glance down. She’d completely forgotten that she was still wearing the damn dress from the day before. At least she’d gotten used to moving in it.

“Right. I’ll be right back,” Kaylin told her. Helen came over and followed Kaylin up the stairs and into her room. The familiar bit her when she poked him before condescending to settle on her bed while she changed. Kaylin pulled off her dress and splashed some water on her face. “What is it, Helen?”

“Kaylin,” Helen began tentatively. It was enough to make Kaylin pause, her hand hovering above the shirt she had been about to pick up. “If you intend to be Lord Nightshade’s lover,” Kaylin blushed fiercely at the term, but she knew that somehow over the last few days that had become a distinct possibility, “I can connect our mirrors so that you and he can travel between here and his Castle without difficulty.”

“You would do that?”

“If you like, dear.”

“You don’t need to,” Kaylin told her quickly. “I can go there the normal way.” She knew Helen had been hurt by the fieflord in the past and didn’t want to be the reason Helen was hurt now. It was different, when he came to visit Annarion.

“I would also like to heal,” Helen told her, surprising Kaylin, yet again. “He harmed me, yes, but... I can only see a little of your recent interactions with him,” Kaylin blushed hard at the thought of what she might see. “Not a great deal, dear. You can, when you choose, keep things private from me.” This surprised Kaylin. She knew that others, like Severn, could hide things from Helen, but it had never occurred to her that she could. “Yes, of course, dear, but I think we’re rather drifting from the point. You believe in him and I am willing to trust your judgement in this.”

“Are you sure?” Kaylin asked.

“Yes, of course, dear. His Tower, like the High Halls, is secure. I would not have offered, otherwise.” Kaylin swallowed, but, forcing herself to acknowledge that most people would already consider her his lover even if they hadn’t had sex yet, nodded.

“Thank you.”

“I want you to be comfortable, here, dear. I will make my peace with your Lord Nightshade so that you can be.” Kaylin wanted to object that he wasn’t her Lord Nightshade, but wasn’t entirely certain that at the moment she could. Which made her blush again. Dammit. She got dressed in a hurry and almost tumbled down the stairs in her rush. Helen altered the stairs so she wouldn’t actually fall. The Hawklord was waiting at the foot of the stairs with Teela, Tain, Andellen and Bellusdeo: or what had become their ordinary investigative team. Kaylin ignored the ache in her chest at the fact that Severn wasn’t among them. Her familiar, in a rare display of affection, butted his head against her cheek. They were on the street again, the first hints of dawn acknowledging that morning had, in fact, come, when it occurred to her.

“Did you, um,” Kaylin began. Bellusdeo snorted smoke in her direction.

“I told the Palace that I’d be going Dragon, yes,” she replied. Suiting words to actions, she shifted. 

“I will meet you there,” the Hawklord declared, spreading his wings. Kaylin watched him take flight in silence, captivated, as she hadn’t been in years, by the beauty of his flight. A sharp elbow in the ribs from Teela was her reward. Kaylin let loose a volley of Leontine and then, recollecting herself, nudged her familiar. He bit her finger, but flew to the ground and transformed without further complaint. Kaylin climbed on and a heartbeat later Teela settled behind her. Teela didn’t let the silence last.

“What,” Teela asked, sounding irritated enough that Kaylin didn’t need to turn to see her eye colour, “did I say about getting close to Nightshade, kitling?” Kaylin, with her fallible, mortal memory, couldn’t remember.

“It’s a bad idea?” She replied with a shrug, because that seemed to be the gist of all of their discussions about him. Teela snorted.

“It is,” the Baranni Hawk affirmed. “That was not, however, what I was referring to.” Kaylin really couldn’t think of anything else, making Teela sigh. “Let me guess: he has shown you some weakness and so you have - like the idiot you are - dropped your guard around him.” Kaylin grimaced. And blushed. Dropped her guard was one way of putting it.

“Teela, it wasn’t fake.”

“No, of course not. That wouldn’t work on you. That does not change the fact that it was a deliberate move on his part.” Kaylin, realizing she couldn’t argue that, simply shrugged.

“He’s not a monster, Teela. I’m not sure there’s anything he wouldn’t do for Annarion. I can’t hate him, anymore, and Teela, I don’t want to.”

“I’m not telling you to hate him, I’m telling you to exercise caution.” This time Teela was the one who sighed. “I don’t know why I bother. It’s not like you ever know how to be cautious.” Kaylin opened her mouth to protest - because she was _always_ trying to be careful - but Teela cut her off. “Do not even try to deny it.”

“He doesn’t intend to hurt me, Teela,” Kaylin told her instead, knowing her sense of caution would never satisfy Teela, because they’d argued about it so many times before.

“If you’re sure, kitling,” Teela eventually yielded. “In the meantime, we have a case and you have dinner with the Emperor this evening.” Kaylin wilted at the reminder. “Try not to fall asleep in your food, hmm?” Teela prodded because she had, of course, done it before.

“Why do I have to be there?” Kaylin tried not to whine, but only ended up making Teela chuckle.

“You’re the host.”

“Not a very good one,” she grumbled. Kaylin could feel Teela’s nod. She grimaced. “Teela, I’m nervous enough without you adding to it. You could, you know, support me.”

“You want me to lie to you?” The familiar laughed, more a roar than a hiss at this size, making Kaylin’s shoulders droop.

“Never mind,” Kaylin replied.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I have a confession to make. I did not, in planning this story, spend a lot of time considering the accomplice to the crime. As I was re-reading the series, I realized that this was a gross injustice to Sagara and to those of you courtious enough to read my story. I have had to make a couple small changes to chapters 13 & 18 becaue of this. I’ve never really made a mistake in a story before and I’m Really Sorry it happened here.
> 
> To those of you who reviewed, you are the reason I push forward in the face of a thousand interruption, so Thank You. As always, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

They arrived first. Not, considering the difference in size between Dragon wings and Aerian ones, by much. It was an impressive display on the Hawklord’s part and Kaylin gravitated to the edge of the landing area to watch him arrive. The rising sun caught his wings and made them almost golden. Kaylin knew, as a healer, that he was pushing himself; he was not entirely recovered. She couldn’t, watching him, bring herself to complain about it, though. Maybe Moran would. Moran’s flight as praevolo was beautiful, Kaylin knew, but so, too, the Hawklord’s, in a different fashion. Kaylin stepped back to give him room as he landed. Which was when she noticed that Moran, Lady Grammayre, and a young Aerian - assumedly her son - were also waiting. If the others had exchanged greetings, Kaylin had missed them.

“Lord Grammayre,” Moran greeted, with rare warmth. “It’s good to see you recovered.” He returned her smile. 

“Sergeant dar Carafel,” he said, acknowledging the Hawk tabard she had chosen to wear over her _praevolo_ outfit. If the Hawklord was not expressive, Kaylin was familiar enough with him to recognize the surprise in the lift of his wings and the appreciation in his grey eyes. He hadn’t expected Moran to be there as a Hawk. Kaylin wasn’t certain he had expected her to be there at all. “If you had not gotten me to the private in time,” he commented, with a glance at Kaylin, “I would not be here at all. Thank you. Wife,” he added, his tone cooling.

“Husband,” she replied, with even less warmth. Her eyes were an unpleasant blue and the Hawklord’s shifted to match.

“Astrophel.”

“Father.” The youth greeted coldly. Kaylin frowned. Before he could say anything, Teela caught her wrist.

“Not one word,” the Baranni Hawk murmured into her ear. That, of course, deepened Kaylin’s frown. “Where is the suspect?” Teela asked more loudly. Moran glanced over at them and raised a brow.

“I have Clint and Declan guarding her.” The sergeant replied.

“Declan’s not a Hawk,” Kaylin pointed out, almost instinctively. “He’s an Arcanist.” Although admittedly, a very, very strange one. Moran looked at her then sighed.

“He is. He is also, however, capable of sensing an incursion of Shadow, in my absence.” At that, Kaylin nodded reluctantly.

“If you’ll excuse me,” the Hawklord interrupted. “I will return to my private quarters with my family.” Moran hesitated, which was enough to halt the Hawklord.

“Sergeant?”

“You may wish to be present for the interrogation,” she said. “The accomplice is known to your son.” The food Kaylin had eaten sat like rocks in her stomach. The Hawklord’s eyes were now Baranni blue, which matched Teela’s, Tain’s, and Andellen’s.

“Perhaps Lady Grammayre and Astrophel would wish to join us?” Bellusdeo suggested, her eyes distinctly orange. Lady Grammayre looked like she intended to refuse, but the stream of smoke Bellusdeo exhaled was enough to change her mind.

“Of course.” Her son sent her an incredulous look, but followed his mother’s example. They all followed Moran into the Aerie, descending a series of tunnels Kaylin had never seen before. She had never before considered where the Aerians housed their criminals, but she was nearly certain they were heading for what passed for holding cells in the Southern Reaches. The thought didn’t make her feel any better.

“You really need to stop idolizing them,” Teela said quietly.

“I don’t,” Kaylin argued.

“You do,” Teela countered. When Kaylin opened her mouth to argue, Teela continued. “If this were a Baranni family, would you be surprised?” Kaylin walked in silence for a bit.

“No,” Kaylin eventually yielded, “but Teela, neither would you.”

“Of course not,” the Baranni Hawk agreed, “but kitling, I’m not surprised _now_. The Aerians are people, just like any others. I don’t expect them to be better.” Kaylin grimaced. After everything she had been through, it was so hard to think of herself as naive, but... 

Kaylin was still considering this when she first heard the sobbing. Teela glanced at her, but didn’t comment. Kaylin forced herself to set aside her doubts and focus on the job at hand. They came to a row of cells, dark compared to the rest of the Aerie, with Aerians in several of them. Clint and Declan were standing outside the cell the sobbing was coming from. Kaylin’s rage about the attack was a hard ball in her chest and any sympathy she might have felt under other circumstances was conspicuously absent. It was dark enough in the cells that Kaylin’s mortal eyes could only make out the huddled figure of an Aerian. Clint saluted the Hawklord when he saw them arrive, but held his position. His eyes matched the blue of the rest of the party. Declan extended his wings briefly in deference to Moran.

“ _Praevolo_ ,” he greeted. Moran nodded at him, but directed her words to Clint.

“Have her brought out,” she instructed. Clint saluted and turned to open the cell. Kaylin watched. She had known that Moran was leaving the Hawks - almost had to leave, given she had finally claimed her birthright - but Kaylin was left wondering how many of the Aerian Hawks would follow her. There was, clearly, work similar to their own within the Aerie itself.

“Out,” Clint instructed coldly. There was a shuddering pause in the sobbing, but the figure did, in fact, exit.

“Cynara!” Astrophel exclaimed, looking at the young Aerian woman. Kaylin estimated that she, like Astrophel, was not yet legally an adult. The girl kept her head down, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and went to her knees before Moran. Her wings were spread out in a full obeisance, as much as the space would allow; it was the Aerian equivalent of grovelling.

“Have mercy, _praevolo_ ,” she choked out, failing entirely to acknowledge anyone else.

“You were seen in the company of a human believed to be responsible for the recent attack on Lord Grammayre,” Moran said coldly. The young woman nodded, evening out her breathing.

“I’m with child,” she explained, “and Astrophel told me his parents would not allow me to have the child.” Kaylin felt ill, her fury sliding swiftly out of reach. 

“Lord Grammayre offered me a position in his Hawks despite my illegitimacy,” Moran replied evenly.

“You are _praevolo_ ,” the woman countered, finally raising stormy midnight eyes to meet Moran’s. Kaylin winced, knowing how much that had cost Moran. Moran, being far better at controlling her expressions than Kaylin, kept her face blank.

“You... tried to kill my father?” Astrophel asked, sounding very young. Cynara clearly couldn’t bring herself to look at her lover.

“I know that you won’t marry me. I just want my child to be safe.” Kaylin had never expected, never imagined, that she would feel sympathy for someone involved in the Hawklord’s attack.

“How did you arrange the attack?” Teela questioned, getting them back on track. Which was good; Kaylin couldn’t speak.

“I visit a market outside the city,” she confessed, dropping her gaze. “There was a man there who sold enchantments. We spoke, sometimes. Last week, he saw that I was upset and asked me about it. When I told him of my fears, he offered to help.” The concept of an Arcanist offering to help boggled Kaylin’s mind. Of course, an Arcanist selling enchantments at a market seemed equally unlikely to Kaylin.

“He was the man you brought into the Aerie?” The Baranni Hawk asked. The Aerian woman nodded her head. 

“How did he offer to help?” Tain questioned.

“He said,” her voice faltered, then recovered, “he said that if Lord Grammayre was dead, Lady Grammayre would not be in a position to force me to abort the child.”

“A child is not responsible for its birth,” the Hawklord said, choosing to speak at last. “The parents are responsible and the conversation I had with Astrophel a few days ago involved arranging a marriage between the two of you.” His wife’s eyes were almost black, but Cynara turned to look at him, her eyes the purple of Aerian surprise. Kaylin could have kissed the Hawklord.

“The fact that you involved a human Arcanist in the attack,” Moran began, making Cynara’s head snap around to her, “means that this is a matter for Imperial Law, not the Caste Court. Lord Grammayre?” Cynara’s gaze slid back to the Hawklord.

“How did you arrange for the witnesses to alter their testimony?” He asked, his expression as smooth as glass. The girl’s wings shifted as she frowned.

“I don’t understand. What about their testimony?” She glanced between them as the silence stretched.

“Father?” Astrophel eventually asked, ignoring the way his mother turned to hush him. “What will happen to Cynara?”

“She will be brought to the Halls of Law and interrogated,” the Hawklord replied without inflection. Cynara’s wings came up to wrap around herself.

“Interrogated?” Astrophel asked thinly.

“A request for a Tha’alani representative was issued,” Teela answered cooly. Kaylin grimaced because she should have thought of that, however little she wanted the Tha’alani exposed to criminals; she was _never_ going to make Corporal at this rate. “I expect someone will be waiting for us at the Halls of Law.” The woman’s shoulders caved in acceptance.

“No!” Astrophel, on the other hand, clearly felt the need to protest. “There’s no need for that! She’s answering your questions!”

“You can forgive us for not believing her,” Teela replied, not sounding particularly concerned if he didn’t.

“How do we transport her?” Kaylin asked into the silence. Moran shifted to look at her.

“I will fly with you.”

“I’m coming with you,” Astrophel interjected, before they could pursue the topic.

“No,” Kaylin stated, ignoring the raised brows she got from both Teela and Tain. “Until we know how and why the Hawklord was targeted, you need to stay in the Southern Reaches. The Arcanist was human and will not be able to easily reach you here.”

“He was clearly able to reach my father here.”

“We’re working on that.” Kaylin turned to Cynara. “By Imperial Law, a pregnant woman cannot be executed until the child is delivered. I’m a midwife. I’ll do everything within my power to ensure your child is born safely.” Cynara stayed resolutely silent. “The Hawklord isn’t a man who will kill children. If he was, he would have killed me when we first met.” That got Cynara to lift her head and look at Kaylin. “I was thirteen. I tried to kill him.” Teela snorted.

“You would have bitten anyone who called you a child,” the Baranni Hawk commented.

“You said I was like a kitten,” Kaylin countered, instantly distracted.

“A feral kitten.” Kaylin frowned, but before she could reply, the Hawklord cleared his throat. She blushed. Right. They were working.

“The Tha’alani will need to examine you,” Kaylin continued, turning back to Cynara. “Don’t fight them and it won’t hurt. Whatever your sentence, your child isn’t guilty.” Cynara let out a shuddering breath.

“I understand,” she replied.

“Corporal Clint, attend us,” the Hawklord commanded. “Wife, Astrophel, I will see you this evening.” 

“Father,” Astrophel said, stepping forward. “If you want me to marry Cynara, I should stay with her. It should be my responsibility to care for her while she carries my child.” The Hawklord evaluated his son in silence before finally nodding. Kaylin wasn’t sure about the marriage portion of that at this point, but it was the Hawklord’s decision to make.

“Very well.”

Lady Grammayre and Declan peeled off before their group made it to the landing area. Kaylin couldn’t help but hover behind the Hawklord protectively; Cynara had conspired to kill him and his son was joining them for her sake. He had too much dignity to acknowledge her and enough mercy not to tell her to stop. He glanced at her when she put her hand on his shoulder. He was, as she had expected, exhausted, but he hadn’t reinjured anything in his flight. “Please have some food, sir,” she murmured quietly, knowing the Immortals would hear her regardless. “You need to eat more to make up for the blood you lost.” He glanced down at her then nodded. 

“Once we’ve returned to the Tower,” he accepted quietly. Then he frowned at her. “I believe you have a guest of import joining you for dinner this evening.” Kaylin grimaced. Was everyone going to remind her? “I will also attend.” Kaylin paused mid step, but the Hawklord continued and she had to walk quickly to catch up again.

“Yes, sir.” Kaylin wasn’t sure she had ever looked forward to a dinner less, although the last time the Emperor had dined with them came to mind.

It took a few minutes to get them all out of the Aerie, but while Kaylin had intended to fly alongside the Hawklord, Moran’s presence made that superfluous. Whatever effort was needed for Aerian flight was clearly greatly reduced when the _praevolo_ flew with them; the Aerians kept pace with Bellusdeo and Hope. Soon they landed before the Halls of Law, Hope and Bellusdeo shifting as soon as their passengers were off. Hope leapt onto Kaylin’s shoulder and draped himself there like the lazy shawl he usually was. 

The Hawklord’s presence caused a predictable stir; everyone knew an attempt had made on his life and no one was feeling very sanguine about it. An older Aerian flew straight up from his post at the door, in an Aerian salute worthy of the Hawklord. It made Kaylin smile. 

“Lord Grammayre,” Tanner said, saluting from the ground. Kaylin didn’t need to turn to look to know that the Hawklord had raised a brow at the man. He wasn’t someone who got stopped at the doors, ever.

“Report, Corporal,” the Hawklord commanded.

“Ybelline Rabon’alani of the Tha’alani has arrived, sir. I believe she was escorted to your Tower.” Which saved them from going to the holding cells before being redirected. Admittedly, you wouldn’t ask a Castelord to wait in the holding cells, even if Kaylin knew Ybelline wouldn’t take offence. The Hawklord nodded. “Also, sir, it’s good to have you back.” With that, they cleared the doors. The Hawks in the halls stopped what they were doing and made a point of saluting their Lord. He nodded in acknowledgement, but didn’t stop. Kaylin straightened in pride. This was her Lord.

They entered the office and found a very fluffy Marcus waiting for them. All of the desk Hawks stood and saluted when the Hawklord entered. The Hawklord failed to acknowledge Marcus’s claws, which was unquestionably for the best, but gestured for the rest of the Hawks to resume their work. There were the scraping sounds of people being seated, but even those were muted; everyone wanted to listen in.

“Welcome back, sir.” The Leontine Sergeant greeted.

“Thank you. Do you have any reports for me?” Marcus’s eyes flitted over their group, darkening at the sight of Astrophel and Cynara. They were nearly red as he answered.

“Hanson has them, sir, and Ybelline Rabon’alani is waiting in your office.” Kaylin tried not to snicker, wondering how many times the Hawklord was going to hear these conversations repeated.

“Very well,” the Hawklord accepted. They trailed the Hawklord up the stairs to where Hanson was waiting for them.

“Welcome back, sir,” Hanson greeted. If they hadn’t had company, Kaylin would have snorted. The Hawklord showed no signs of being bothered by the repetition, but he did speak before Hanson could tell him that Ybelline was waiting for them.

“Once Ybelline has received the testimony here, I will require a full report.” 

“Yes sir,” Hanson saluted. The door was open and if the first thing that caught Kaylin’s eye was Ybelline, the second was a large pot of flowers beside the desk. Kaylin was sure Caitlin had gotten everyone in the office to contribute and it made her smile. Before she could comment, Ybelline walked over and gave her a hug.

_I’m sorry_ , Kaylin said as soon as Ybelline’s stalks touched her forehead. She could feel Ybelline smile.

_I know. I was sorry to hear of the attack on your lord._ Reminded of why Ybelline was actually there, Kaylin quickly filled her in. After absorbing the information, Ybelline stepped back. Astrophel and Cynara were staring at them in shock.

“Ybelline will only look at the memories relevant to the attack on Lord Grammayre,” Kaylin told the girl, trying to reassure her. “Remember, as long as you don’t fight her, it won’t hurt.” Cynara nodded and Ybelline approached her with a beautiful smile. Cynara, to her credit, didn’t fight. After a few minutes, Ybelline stepped back.

“I have retrieved an image of the Arcanist who assisted Cynara,” Ybelline told the Hawklord, “and she is entirely ignorant of any efforts made to obstruct the investigation.”

“Thank you for your efforts,” the Hawklord acknowledged. “At the moment, the Records for this investigation are being kept by the Avatar of Private Neya’s home. I would appreciate it if you could place the images your received directly there.” Ybelline bowed in acceptance. “Corporal Danelle, please have Cynara placed in the holding cells in the interim.”

“Father!” Astrophel protested. Kaylin spoke before anyone else could.

“Cynara has conspired with an Arcanist to assassinate the Lord of the Hawks,” she said, meeting Astrophel’s very blue eyes. “Do you have any idea how important your father’s work is for this city? Do you even know what he _does?_ ”

“He is the Head of the Investigative branch of the Halls of Law,” he replied, as if by rote. Kaylin spun to meet the Hawklord’s Baranni blue eyes.

“I request permission to have Astrophel join us during these investigations, sir,” she almost demanded. The Hawklord’s face hardened.

“If Astrophel is prepared to allow Ybelline to examine him for possible involvement in the case, I will accede to your request, Private.” Kaylin’s indrawn breath was so sharp, it could have cut glass. Teela had made her way over to her and murmured in her ear.

“You really can’t keep your nose out of anything, can you?” Kaylin grimaced, but her eyes were glued to the Hawklord. Did he really suspect his son of possible involvement in his assassination? Glancing at Astrophel, his eyes were still the Aerian purple of shock. After looking at both Cynara and Ybelline, he squared his shoulders and nodded.

“If that’s what you require, Father.”


End file.
